SHIELD Academy
by MysteryGal5
Summary: Now that they graduated high school as seemingly normal teenagers, will the kids of the Avengers survive SHIELD Academy? (Project: New Generation Prelude #9)
1. Year One: Move-In Day Part One

**Happy birthday, ****BewareTheFandom****. You, my therapist and creative soundboard, deserve this epic story and ****_SA _****Day because this story wouldn't exist without you. I hope you screamed in class when you got this alert. You'll understand why I lied to you all this time but it was worth it. **

**As for everyone else, if this is your first story in my _Project: New Generation_ series, you can start reading and I'll answer any questions you may have. Mind you, this story might have some details you might not understand without reading the other stories, but you should be fine. If you come from any of the birth stories, Emily's, Sigyn's, Daniel's or Iqadi's stories, this happens after so go ahead and start reading. **

**If you come from ****_Project: New Generation_****, this story is a prelude. It's the seven years between the ending events of the stories above to the beginning of ****_PNG. _****Yet, they're mostly told from the narratives of Merida, Daniel, James, Angela, and Xavier. Emily and Iqadi will be in the story as well, but not as often as those five. And Apollo and Sigyn will only be mentioned or in flashbacks.**

**I hope you enjoy this while ****_PNG _****is on hiatus :)**

* * *

Year One: Move-In Day Part One

_Entrance of Atlantic Residence - 8:41 AM_

She taps her foot impatiently as she waits in line. In front and behind her stand other incoming students who seem to be in a better mood than her. _Maybe because they weren't sitting in a car for two hours listening to their dad's favourite songs on loop. _She crosses her arms and breathes deeply. On the exhale, she looks up to the overcast sky, wishing that this day ended before it even started. She peeks to the side to check the line and is beyond annoyed when she sees the same person still standing at the front.

_They should have more lines going on a day as crowded as a move-in day at a goddamn university. SHIELD Academy should be better than this._

Finally, after ten minutes of standing, she reaches the table. On the other side is a young adolescent in a SHIELD trainee uniform. She couldn't be that much older than her, making her an upper-year student and possibly a resident assistant. _That's her in a few years if the Academy doesn't kill her, minus the RA. She would never want that responsibility._

"Name?" She asks.

"Merida Barton."

As the upper-year trainee shuffles through a box of folders, Merida checks her phone to locate her friends. She knows that Angela, Xavier, and possibly James should be nearby but her phone screen is blank. They must be busy like her.

Merida looks back at the table and sees a welcome folder placed in front of her with her student ID card and room key. But before she could take it, the trainee pulls it back.

"I need to see some identification."

"Are you kidding me?" Merida asks with a small laugh. "You didn't ask anyone else. My student card has my picture on it, just look at my face."

The trainee gives her a face. Merida rolls her eyes before reaching into her jacket pocket for her driver's license. It may have felt like a long day for her, but it's way longer for the girl behind the table. _Hence why she would never want to be an RA._

After a few seconds of verifying her license, Merida finally takes her welcome folder. She huffs out of relief as she walks towards her parents. Even after the early morning car ride, they're smiling like the proudest parents possible. _It's the success of raising a daughter seeking post-secondary education far from home. Their neighbours would be proud._

"They ID'd me," Merida tells them, still feeling petty about the whole interaction even if it was only a minute long.

"Because you're my ребенок," Natasha responds, pinching Merida's cheek.

"And mine," Clint adds, ruffling her curls.

_Ah, yes, the blessed security issues. Gotta verify that the SHIELD child is actually the SHIELD child._

Merida doesn't have the energy to shrug off her parents but her irritated poker face remains. She won't say it with words, but as much as their doting annoys her, she will miss it. They know how she feels.

"Come on," Clint encourages, dragging two of her luggage by his sides. "Lead us to your dorm room."

-o-

_Edison Residence - 9:19 AM_

Daniel Banner opens the door to his dorm room and peeks his head inside before walking in with his whole body. He knew what he was expecting but the emptiness still feels daunting.

It's a big room with a bunk bed in the corner, two desks nearby, a window in the middle, two vanity dressers on the other side with closets. It's plain and simple but that's the point. It's supposed to be a room that he and his roommate should personalize. _That'll inevitably happen and not by choice. His roommate wouldn't stand for this cookie-cutter living space._

Finally, Daniel walks inside with his bags and his parents follow. For the moment, they put bags and boxes down on the empty desks. What stands out most to Daniel is that his roommate, James Pym, isn't here yet. He glances down at his phone for a second and smiles when he sees no messages from him.

"Bottom bunk is mine," Daniel says, throwing his jacket on the empty mattress to claim his territory. He knows that James would want the top bunk.

"This is spacious," Betty comments, sitting on one of the empty desk chairs.

"And quiet," Bruce states, "at least, quieter than you'd expect. Oh, who am I kidding? It's college and freshman week will start when parents leave."

The three of them listen to the sounds from the neighbouring rooms. The hallway right outside the door has confused students searching for their rooms. They roll their suitcases across the linoleum floors. And once they find their rooms, they drop their boxes to the ground to meet their roommate. _Do they know them? It doesn't matter because they'll share ice breakers as they unpack. At least Daniel won't have to suffer through that._ Later, the halls fill with the farewell crying for the parents. _But he'll suffer when he has to do that._

The last one is what gets Daniel looking at his parents. He can see how they're looking at him: that he's no longer a little boy and he won't be going home with them. He's engaged, in a competitive university, and expected to finish a Ph.D. by the end of the year in to continue. In reality, he and everyone else on this floor are on SHIELD Academy's Science and Technology's welcome mat. He needs the _Dr. _prefix by the end of the year to enter. Luckily, he completed all the research over the summer instead of getting some sun. But his busy schedule didn't matter since all his friends were busy preparing for the Academy in their ways.

_He isn't a child anymore. He lives an adult life and he's not even twenty-years-old._

"Can you - ?" Daniel starts before needing to clear his throat because he felt as if his voice cracked. "Can you stay for a bit longer and help me unpack?"

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 9:44 AM_

"You will love it at the Academy," Peggy tells Angela as they walk down the hallway with her items.

"I hope so," Angela responds, feeling a bit on edge.

Her nerves increase with every step she takes. She smiles and mouths a hello to anyone she passes to look welcoming. At the same time, she mentally notes that those are her neighbours and classmates. She'll see them here and in the lecture halls, training rooms, and communal bathroom. They all look like normal adolescents like her but she knows that deep down, she'll stick out like a sore thumb as the weeks roll by. That's why she and her twin got ID'd when they picked up their welcome folders.

Angela Rogers is now in a place where her professors have likely met her as a child. And, if not, they already know about her and her brother. She can thank her parents for being a part of SHIELD and The Avengers. _So much for being called cute. Now she'll have to go by Rogers as if she's in the military. As if she and Xavier weren't already so alike…_

"You will," Peggy reassures. Her words snap Angela away from her thoughts. "You'll be learning things you enjoy, at least, until you despise them. But you'll have more freedom with your brother, boyfriend, and best friends."

Angela nods, feeling a bit calmer. "Yeah, you're right. You're absolutely right."

"But don't think that you have to be brave on your first few days." Peggy chuckles a little. "This is your first real time away from home." She lowers her voice to a whisper. "And it can be a little intimidating at the start."

"No kidding."

"But you'll get used to it. You'll realize that everyone on this floor is on the same page as you. Trust me when I say that nobody here knows what they're doing."

Angela laughs to try and enlighten herself. It doesn't work. _The beauty of winning the pageant queen title and being head cheerleader in the past is that you can fake a smile through anything!_

She doesn't remember the last time she felt this anxious. She's been in so many different competitions and life-threatening situations. And yet, they don't come close to now. Angela doesn't get it and she can only hope it stays that way. She doesn't want to be in close contact with her fear because she feels better off acting courageous. Her whole life has been about putting on a brave face although she's crumbled before.

_Besides, all eyes are on her now, aren't they?_ But she's more concerned about the eyes she'll see when she looks in the mirror.

"And this is my room," Angela says, stopping right in front of the numbered door that matches the one on her key card.

"Open it," Peggy tells her.

Angela hesitates, looking down at the card and the doorknob. She isn't sure whether she has to slide it somewhere or scan it. _Wow, she's off to a good start and she hasn't even entered her room yet._

-o-

_Hudson Residence - 9:50 AM_

High school felt like yesterday. Graduation felt like yesterday. His breakup felt like yesterday.

But none of that matters now because he's now a SHIELD Academy student. This is a new start for him and his friends. _He can handle this. At least he has some beyond familiar people by his side._ The only person he has to get used to the most is his new roommate. He's the only one out of all his friends who will be rooming with a complete stranger.

Or, correction, not a complete stranger. He's texted his roommate a few times and he seems like a cool guy, but the _appearances versus reality_ idea exists. _He hopes this one isn't a weirdo._

"Hey."

Xavier snaps back into reality, looking at his dad who called him. His dad looks expectant as if he's waiting for the answer to a question he didn't hear. Xavier hopes his dad will repeat the question if he doesn't hear a response. But nothing comes. _His dad knows that he's thinking about something else and he knows what. _It's not like he spent his entire summer thinking about that _special something_.

"Is it about Britney?" Steve asks. _Because what else would be on his mind?_

Xavier feels his cheeks redden even though he wasn't thinking about her. "Not this time."

_Even his dad thinks his mutual breakup was yesterday. That's a new level of sad. _But it felt like that to him. One day, he said goodbye to his (ex)-girlfriend and best friend, and now he's moving into his dorm room.

"Look," Steve continues, "she's doing the same thing as you but on a different realm. Same with Apollo. They're going down a different path for their futures but they will come back. It's only been two months and they said to give them a year. Don't let their absence hinder your experience here for the next ten months. I don't want Angela calling me or your mother saying that you're sad the moment we leave."

Xavier rolls his eyes. "Angela will be too busy with James."

Steve shakes his head. "She won't."

"Dad, we've been to college for the same amount of time and I already know more than you. Trust me, she will and thank god I'm not rooming with him."

-o-

_SHIELD Helicarrier - 10:39 AM_

"James Pym."

James stands up at the sound of his name and brushes off the wrinkles on his clothes. He looks ahead and sees Director Fury standing more displeased than usual. Yet, James tries to get the solid face to budge by smiling cheerfully but no results. _He always considers himself as the joy in the room, even if Fury's face says different._

"What the hell are you doing here?" Fury asks. "Your parents aren't dropping you off? Actually, that would explain a lot since your ass is up here."

"You know my dad has a love-hate, mostly hate relationship with SHIELD," James responds cheekily. "But they're on campus because they drove me and they love me with all their heart and soul. They're down there, looking around. I'm sure they're not going to leave without saying goodbye."

"You mean they're on campus but you're not?"

"I don't know where I'm going."

"I bet your parents are already at your dorm. You should've stayed with them. You know, hold your mom's hand like you did till you were ten."

James rolls his eyes as Fury cracks a smile. "No. I mean I don't know which program I'm in. I know I'm doubling operations and sci-tech, but where do I go?"

Fury groans. "How don't you - never mind. I'm not the head of admissions. There are upper-year students and RAs on patrol to help idiots like you."

"But you're the director."

Fury looks him right in the eyes. "Of _SHIELD_, not the Academy."

"But it's _SHIELD_ Academy."

Fury sighs, needing this conversation to end. "Look, get back down there and figure it out. If you go to Operations and they don't have your stuff, go to Sci-Tech and vice versa. Or, go to your dorm because Daniel will be there and your things will be delivered if you don't pick them up."

James nods, giving Fury a thumbs up. "So, which way is the Academy again?"

Fury doesn't blink. "Down!"

"Right, right. See ya, Fury!"

As James leaves, walking as if he's on a Sunday stroll, Fury shakes his head in disappointment. _The Academy better whip that boy into shape if he'll be an agent in any discipline. If he gets a Ph.D. by the end of the year, as he's supposed to, then miracles are real and he'll owe Hank Pym a couple of hundreds. _Fury can't believe that the next generation consists of adolescents like James Pym.

And it's not even close to noon on their move-in day.


	2. Year One: Move-In Day Part Two

**And I never publish a story without giving the second chapter :)**

* * *

Year One: Move-In Day Part Two

_Hudson Residence - 10:40 AM_

One bag down, two more to go.

While his dad went to go check up on Angela, Xavier took this time to start unpacking. That way, his parents could take the bulky suitcases back with them and they wouldn't be taking up space here.

A knock on his door captures his attention but not enough that Xavier looks up from his belongings. He guesses that it's his mother coming from Atlantic Residence. "It's open!"

The door swings open as if the person who knocked kicked it. Xavier drops the shirt he was folding and looks to see what that was about. _That's definitely not his mother. She wouldn't do it with so much noise. He'll catch her and his dad before they leave at the end of the morning_.

The one at the door is his roommate: Ashton Ruiz.

He's almost as tall as him but not as built. He has crisp dark hair and squinty eyes, sun-kissed skin, and a friendly smile. He wears a casual sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers. Instead of suitcases, he has four duffel bags all filled to the rim and nearly exploding. _Although the zippers look like they're about to burst, that was a smart move. Duffel bags are easy to store. All you have to do is kick it under the bed and let them collect dust till graduation._

After Ashton drops all his bags on the floor in the middle of the room, he huffs out of exhaustion. Then he looks up at Xavier with a big and bright smile.

"Rogers!" He chants as if they were reuniting friends.

"Ruiz!" Xavier mimics.

They embrace each other in that bro-hug, gripping hands and patting each other's backs as if they're reuniting after years of separation. Finally, the real faces behind the text messages. As far as how he's a roommate, Ashton had a great first impression on Xavier. _Thank god because he didn't know what he would do if his roomie had problematic vibes._

The Academy selected roommates randomly, but based on matching program. Admissions provided everyone with the photo, phone number, and email of their roommate. Over text, did the rudimentary ice breakers to spare themselves the awkward face-to-face conversation. They knew each other's hometown, birthday, favourite food, and Academy modules. All the roommate basics. Everything else will be learned along the way.

"It's so nice to meet you," Ashton says, kicking his bags to the side. "Have you looked around yet?

Xavier shakes his head. "Not really. I just got here."

"Same." He gestures to his bags, scoffing a little. "Obviously. Did your family have a nice drive down here?"

"Better than I thought. But then again, I'm only about two hours away. Don't tell me you drove here from Wyoming."

Ashton chuckles as he guiltily nods. "I've been on the road for three days straight just so I could have my car here. I don't even remember where I stopped at motels for the night. I have a feeling SHIELD cleared all the interstates just so their damn students will get here on time."

Xavier laughs, remembering how brisk the drive here was for him. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised."

-o-

_Edison Residence - 11:09 AM_

"James Pym, where the hell were you?!"

James sighs as he scurries over to his mother, making it look like he never ran off. He isn't sure how his mother managed to find him so quickly. _Would she stop her yelling if he held her hand? It'd be more for himself than for her but nobody needs to know that._

"I had to get your things for you!" Janet exclaims, handing him his welcome folder and operations uniforms. That means he had to go to Sci-Tech for his things, but not anymore. _And, at least for now, nobody will know the face of the boy overlapping the rival programs. It's a rare occasion where James Pym wants nobody to know the description of his handsome face._

"I didn't know where to go," James explains. "Calm down, Mom, you look like you will explode."

Janet narrows her eyes at her son even when Hank wraps his arm around her. James breaks into a smile before taking his welcome package. He follows the provided map and leads his parents through the residence building.

"He'll be fine," Hank reasons. "He's rooming with Daniel and Angela's his girlfriend."

James can't help but turn around and face his father feeling offended. _His father made an indisputable point on James not being self-sufficient. But at least he'll have some sort of supervision on both campuses. Life definitely did something to help him out because he has no idea what he's doing._

"He won't be fine!" Janet exclaims. "My baby needs me!"

_James can only hope nobody around them is listening_. At least on move-in day, nobody gives a shit about you since they're figuring out their own shit. Instead, he continues following the map to his dorm room. Luckily, the door is already open and James pokes his head in. He sees Daniel and his parents unpacking.

"Daniel!" James yells, starling his friend.

James laughs as Daniel cusses him out. Daniel's parents laugh amongst themselves as James' parents start talking to them.

For James, since he was overlapping academies, he had a choice in residencies. That meant he had a choice between rooming with Daniel or Xavier.

James and Daniel are happy that they got a choice of roommates although most incoming students come alone. Daniel would've picked him in a heartbeat because _why would he want to bunk with a stranger in an unknown place? Also, he wouldn't be okay on his own._

As much as James loves Xavier, he was dating his twin sister. But even if James wasn't dating Angela, he would still choose to live in Sci-Tech. He heard that Operations kids would live on a military schedule and blend protein shakes in the middle of the night. James didn't want or need that life. He liked his sleep and required relaxation to function. _Intense_ was an unknown word to him. _Besides, it's not like Xavier was offended when James picked him. Xavier was relieved and James was the offended one._

Besides, Daniel let him have the top bunk without the slightest banter. Xavier would have buried him in the top bunk after looking at it.

"Where are your things?" Daniel asks him.

James reaches into the pocket of his jeans and pulls out four suitcases the size of coins. He places them on the ground and backs up, pulling Daniel beside him. James blasts them with the bioelectricity in his palms and his bags grow to their regular size. The parents don't look fazed at all and return to their conversation.

James proudly sits on one of his bags as Daniel gives him a small applause.

"This is the only time I'm telling you that that was a smart move," Daniel says.

"That means a lot coming from you," James responds.

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 11:10 AM_

Steve walks through the slightly opened door of Angela and Merida's dorm room. He watches the two girls discuss how they will decorate. _That won't go smoothly. They both have different personalities and colour palettes. It's a miracle how they were friends for all these years._

He walks beside his wife who stands with Clint and Natasha.

"How's Xavier?" Peggy asks.

"Unpacking," Steve responds. "I think his roommate showed up. What about things over here?"

Clint sniffles a little. "Our babies are growing up."

Merida groans. "Really, Dad? Can you not cry in front of me?"

"No, because I want you to cry and miss me!"

Merida rolls her eyes.

Angela turns around and smiles at Clint. "I'll cry for the both of us."

Angela turns back to Merida who stands in front of a blank wall. This is their dorm room for the year. Being unable to puncture holes in the walls was the least of their problems. Their contrasting aesthetics make it hard to personalize their shared space. They could divide the room in half but they agreed on wanting a flow between their two spaces. _At least they have the same friends so they won't have to worry about which photos to put up. Talk about that as a shared aesthetic. _

"At least we can agree on string lights," Angela states.

"And a bean bag chair in that corner." Merida points to the spot. "But if you and James make out or do any other nasty things on that, I will burn this room down and bunk with some twat in Communications."

Angela narrows her eyes at Merida because their parents are in the room. Angela's face heats up in embarrassment, reddening as she turns around to look at her parents. Steve and Peggy give Angela an _I know_ _you just started university and I don't care if you're an adult because you're still our little girl so if that boy does anything to you we're going after him_ face. Yet, Angela awkwardly turns away from her parents, not bothering to respond to that.

"Don't worry Cap, Agent Carter," Merida says to them with an unusual chipper in her voice. "I will be a good godchild and always enforce protection. There will be no grandkids on my watch and I'm not watching them do the _devil's tango_."

Steve and Peggy's faces don't change but they're grateful for that gesture. A little disturbed, but grateful. Clint and Natasha pretend they never heard that.

Angela, on-the-other-hand, isn't. _Good godchild and great friend, but not a good roommate … and they haven't even unpacked. _She's more annoyed, thinking about how she and James are totally going to do _nasty things _on that bean bag chair just to piss off Merida. _James would so be on board for many reasons_.

"And, Angela," Natasha says to her. "You'd better make sure Merida doesn't do anything that will get her expelled."

"Мама!" Merida yells.

Angela smiles, sparing Merida a glance. "Anything for you, Natasha. I'll be a better godchild than her."

And now Merida is the one glaring. But the two girls know that their parents will only be informed if anything were to go too far _and not only because their parents will be a whole state away. _Even more than high school, when they were rarely home, they felt less free because there's no one to catch them if they fell.

* * *

**Throughout the series, there will be some new names. But there will only be a few that are important to remember and I will introduce them as they appear. For this story, there will be seven of them. (And, realistically, in college you only know about a handful of people.) Our first, as I call them, _rando_ is Ashton Ruiz, Xavier's roommate. **


	3. Year One: Move-In Day Part Three

**Might as well put this one out to complete the trilogy.**

* * *

Year One: Move-In Day Part Three

_Entrance of Atlantic Residence - 11:39 AM_

As the afternoon creeps upon them, the parents know that they have to start making their way out. As much as they don't want to, they have to leave their kids to experience SHIELD Academy on their own. Sniffles from both students and families fill the hallways and reception area. Hugs and kisses become a common gesture amongst the small crowds of people divided by family. Or for some, the farewells were so quick or absent that car engines were already revving and heading out before traffic jams hit the parking lots.

Merida turns around after walking in between her parents. The exit door is a few feet away from them and their car is a couple of yards. Merida's dorm is a few floors up and her childhood bedroom and home are two hours away.

And now, her parents are looking at her, waiting for her to make the first move. She's expected to hug them goodbye and say that she misses them. All that she wants to do but her body doesn't move. She doesn't want to do this because it makes the goodbye more real.

These types of feelings and gestures make her uncomfortable. _And she feels like crying seeing her parents on the brink of tears. _Aside from her friends, they're the only people she doesn't like seeing upset. It makes her upset.

"I hate this…" Merida mutters.

"Hate what?" Natasha says. She looks at her daughter lovingly, touching the ends of her long red curls.

"I hate that I'm going to miss you because I don't want to." Merida starts to shake. Goosebumps form on her arms and she's glad her leather jacket hides them. "I don't want to have to miss you."

At the moment, Clint and Natasha sandwich Merida in a tight hug. On any other day, Merida would squirm out but not now. She embraces it and wraps her arms around her parents. She can hear her parents crying on her shoulders. On any other day, she would shudder and slink away. But not today. Today, she doesn't care because she isn't sure when she will see this, let alone them, for a while. _When's the next time that she can reject a hug?_

They're only two hours away, but it feels so much further compared to where she is now. When she was younger, her parents would be on missions across the planet and they'd feel closer to her. _Is it too late to be homeschooled?_

-o-

_Entrance_ _of Edison Residence - 11:43 AM_

"You'd better be a good boy," Janet tells James. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, Mom," James replies with a slight disinterest. _He heard this exact speech before they left the house and on the car ride here. When he calls them later, he will have to hear them again._

Hank laughs a little. "Jan, that's like telling him to enjoy breathing but not breathe."

James grins at his father who smiles back. He understands that college life and stupidity aren't parallel lines. The two concepts are more like graphing linear functions. The Academy is the Cartesian plane while college life and stupidity were linear functions. James lives at the intersection, no matter what quadrant the point lands in. _And he finds himself a genius for thinking of it that way. His dad is so proud of him. Emily would be proud of him as well._

"Hank," Janet says. Her tone sounds angered.

Hank shrugs innocently. "What?"

Janet narrows her brows and Hank sighs. He looks down at James again and puts his hand on his shoulder. The universal sign of _prepare yourself for my ultimate wise fatherly words_.

"Avoid anything that Merida wouldn't do," Hank advises.

James would laugh but that was solid advice. Merida may be reckless and impulsive, but even she has her limits. She may not know her limits, but everyone likes to believe that they exist. Even his mother agrees with Hank's words.

"Call me when you get home," James tells his parents. "I want to make sure you made it back safely." _And hear that lecture again._

Janet wraps her arms around her son tightly. "Angela's such a good influence on him. Hope she continues that."

Not so far from them, Daniel sits on a bench in the middle of his parents. It's time to say goodbye, he can't. Although he's already at the Academy, he still can't process that he's here. He's a student at SHIELD Academy and he has to say goodbye to his parents. _Just yesterday, he was more of a kid than he is now_. _That was the shortest 24 hours of his life._

"University goes by in a blast," Betty comments.

"Especially at SHIELD…" Daniel mutters. He takes off his glasses and pretends to clean them on his shirt. But, in reality, he just wanted a moment where he couldn't see how much his life changed in the span of a two-hour car ride. "If I had my car here, I would be back home on the weekend."

"You'll be fine," Bruce tells him. "I already know that you're the smartest in the room."

Daniel scoffs, finally grinning a little. He puts on his glasses again. They're a bit blurry, but he'll manage. _He may have been valedictorian and top of his class in high school, but that was high school. _This is the top of the line where people had to be a genius to be considered for a spot.

"Don't pressure him," Betty scolds her husband. She wraps her arm around her son and leans on his shoulder. "Call us whenever. Even if you're struggling with research at the crack of dawn and haven't slept in days."

Bruce laughs a little. "_Especially _call us if you're in that scenario. But if we don't answer, which isn't likely, just cite one of our papers."

Betty laughs and that gets Daniel as well. He feels tears in his eyes. He isn't sure if they're for the advice or because this is a temporary goodbye to his childhood and hello to adulthood. He goes with both and wipes them away anyways. _His glasses blur a bit and he lets them. _

"Make sure you call Emily as well."

Daniel smiles, biting down on his bottom lip. "Of course."

-o-

_Entrance of Hudson Residence - 11:53 AM_

The elevators were all in use so Xavier took the stairs. Once he enters the main reception area, he finds himself in a swamp of farewells, struggling to find the one he should be a part of. In every direction he looks, he sees the same sobbing goodbye. He doesn't even know these people but he feels the need to cry for them.

_He remembers the day that he said goodbye to his (ex-) girlfriend and best friend. He remembers that even Merida cried because he cried. He could never get that out of his mind even if he _\- finally, Xavier spots his parents and Angela when she waves him over.

Xavier wipes his eyes on his walk over although he wasn't even crying. He was about to but he didn't. _There's a difference._

"How's your roommate?" Steve asks him.

"He seems cool," Xavier responds.

"You two better look out for each other," Peggy says to him and Angela. Her maternal tone makes those words sound more like a plea than an order.

Angela and Xavier expected their parents to give Angela that look for Xavier, but it's the other way around. The twins are confused because, out of all their years of existence, Angela was the mother figure of the group. And now, _this_ was happening.

They've heard of empty-nest syndrome, but they thought it would kick in once their parents returned to Brooklyn.

"Remember," Steve tells them, looking down at them as if they were young children. "If you get knocked down, get the hell back up. Don't take shit from anyone just because you're a Rogers."

"It took moving out of the house for him to swear in front of us?" Xavier asks rhetorically. "And it was for motivation? Wow, Old Man, I'm gonna miss you."

Steve narrows his eyes before jokingly grabbing him in a headlock.

"God, Dad…" Angela mutters. Her eyes start brimming with tears. "We weren't conscripted."

_Unless getting a scholarship from Director Fury counts as conscription._

Peggy clears her throat. "You're at SHIELD Academy. It's like being conscripted in the war. But you two will be more than fine once you escape the trenches."

"Mom! What type of farewell speech is that?"

"The best one possible." Peggy wraps her daughter in a hug, running her fingers through her hair.

Peggy locks eyes with Xavier and mouths, _watch over her_. He looks at his dad who nods in agreement. Xavier gives them a thumbs up. _They didn't even have to ask him to do that. He would've watched over her anyways. It's more than a twin thing._

-o-

_12:01 PM_

In both dormitory buildings, all the families have left. The students in all programs gather in their schools' respective common areas, far from where they said their goodbyes. Now, they're alone, expected to face the wild adventures and academics that the Academy will have in store for them. _At least they have each other._

But they can't start yet because they're how. They haven't opened their welcome packages, let alone their bags.

In Operations, Angela and Merida stand with Xavier in the centre of their classmates. Meanwhile, in Sci-Tech, Daniel and James huddle towards the back, blending in with the crowd.

But in the two areas, they see the same thing. Three upper-year students stand on the tables in front of them. They're the same ones who handled welcome package distributions and directions. The Resident Assistants or the Recruitment Team, it doesn't matter at this point.

They're not the help anymore.

They're the centre of attention and all eyes are on them.

"Freshies, welcome to SHIELD Academy."

* * *

**As a second-year university student and a loving mother towards these characters, I can't even begin to explain how excited I am for this story. For the second time ever, I'm around the same age as them.**

**To answer any other questions you may have: ****_PNG_****'s current 130 chapters will be revamped and continue to be updated next year. If you want an exact date, there will be a new chapter on July 2, 2020. No changes to that date whatsoever. And, no, I don't know how long this story will be but I have seven years of events to work with before we hit the start of ****_PNG _and a lot of ideas.**

**I will leave you with these chapters. I won't be back here until I finish revamping Merida's birth story, Emily's, Britney's, and Iqadi's stories (because I thought I'd be done when this story would be out). **

**I hope you enjoy it so far :)**


	4. Year One: Icebreakers

**The me starting this chapter isn't done revamping my other stories, but the me publishing it is so, yay! Welcome back. How have you been? I've been great so let's get on with this story!**

* * *

Year One: Icebreakers

_[19:31 PM]_

_Group Chat - SA Babes  
__Members: Daniel, Merida, James, Angela, Xavier_

_Xavier: Who the hell named this?_

_Angela: I the hell did. _

_Xavier: Of course, you the hell did. _

_Angela: So, how are you guys doing?_

_Merida: I'm great. _

_Angela: I know you are. You're less than ten feet away from me. What about you sci-tech boys?_

_[no response]_

_Angela: Are you kidding me?_

_Xavier: Kinda early for the Academy to eat them alive, don't you think?_

_Merida: thank god James is gone. _

_Xavier: ikr._

_Angela: wow, rude, okay. Who wants to tell Emily that her fiancé's gone?_

_[no response]_

-o-

_Concrete Beach - 20:40 PM_

The layout of SHIELD Academy was a triangle where each program was at a corner. In their respective sections were the residences and related classrooms, faculty buildings, and specialty buildings and laboratories. The common areas where all programs are often seen combined such as the main cafeteria, general libraries, small shopping kiosks, and general workout rooms were located in the centre. If one were to look along the lines of the triangle, a bit further out from the centre, there were party areas. Despite the line location implying that it could be shared by the two programs it's between, that's not true.

It's an unspoken rule that each program has its designated social area. It's mostly for hanging out but doubles as a party zone. That doesn't mean that someone from Communications can't hang out at Operations' hot-spot, it only means that you'll stick out. (Again, only if people know. There's a high chance they won't.)

Concrete Beach is the party zone for Operations students. It's an outdoor open space with bars at one end and lots of room to dance on the concrete flat (hence the name). There's a mechanical bull as the main attraction that has a daily contest on who can hold on the longest. There are cushioned seats with small tables throughout the border of the lot. Lights hang on building sides, beaming different colours of neon lights in various directions.

Angela walks in with Merida by her side. After their small freshman recruitment that followed their parents' departure, their RA informed them about a party happening at Concrete Beach. So the girls went back to their dorm and changed.

This was their first college party and they didn't know what to wear. What threw them off for a curve was that Concrete _Beach_ wasn't an actual beach. There was no sand or ocean in sight. The name confused them but that was the least of their problems. Even their dorm neighbours were thrown off.

"Thank god we didn't wear our bikinis," Angela whispers to Merida. Or says in a normal tone because of the music blasting through the speakers above their heads.

"I didn't even pack one," Merida responds, adjusting her grey bralette and a leather jacket.

Angela had to force Merida to wear the jacket on top or else it'd look like she was coming to the club in lingerie. _They weren't even on campus for a day and she was already being a mom._ At least her royal blue romper covered everything (except her long toned legs but that's trivial. She has a boyfriend who she's waiting to show off to).

Angela glances down at her phone, scrolling through the unread messages on her lock screen. There was still no word from James or Daniel. _Did Sci-Tech eat them up already? They haven't even been here for a day! _To think that she sprayed perfume in her hair to fill the room and make it easier for James to find her. And if James was there, Daniel would be nearby. That's just how things worked.

"Where's your roommate?" Angela asks her twin as he approaches them.

Xavier looks to the side about to start the introductions, but nobody's there. He's not even remotely nearby. Instead, he slides his hands into his pocket and smiles.

"I already lost him," Xavier says. "But what are your schedules like?"

Xavier takes out his phone as Merida and Angela do the same. They tap on their screens a few times before turning their phones around.

They only got their schedules when they arrived, unlike any other university where you'd get it over the summer because that's when it'd be created. But that didn't matter when your schedule was basically made for you. The same rule applies for all programs: there are certain classes you have to take in specific years and, within those classes, there are levels based on prerequisite knowledge, placement tests or transfer credits from previous institutions.

"Oh god…" Xavier and Angela mutter in sync.

"What?" Merida asks, taking a glance at their schedules.

They look at each other.

"We're together all day for three days of the week," Angela says.

Merida laughs a little. "Just like senior year. But don't fret, I may be too weak for your weight class but we have introduction to weaponry and aviation together."

"I find it insane how we're essentially in class from 5 in the morning to 10 at night," Angela says. "With a few small breaks in between."

"You don't have to go to that early morning training. That's optional."

"And I'm choosing to sleep," Xavier says.

-o-

_The Boiler Room - 23:22 PM_

Daniel sits in the corner of The Boiler Room. He holds his phone to his ear and leans back. As it rings, he leans back and absorbs the environment of Sci-Tech's party aura. A blue light fills the room, making the party a calm atmosphere. It was more of a social meet-and-greet rather than the stereotypical college party he was expecting. There are pool tables in the centre where some students play and discuss the perfect equations to sink their shots (for pool and drinks). The bar has students in front and behind the counter, mixing drinks and texting different proportions.

He was so distracted by everything to look at that he almost forgot he was on the phone.

_Emily: Are you drunk-dialling me?_

Daniel straightens his posture a little. A smile crawls on his lips without him knowing because he's hearing his fiancée's voice. _He still can't believe that he can call her that. Everything about his life now seems too real to be true_.

"No," Daniel responds, shifting his position in his chair. He bites down on his lips when he hears her laugh.

_Emily: Well, I'm drunk answering._

"I'm not surprised."

_Emily: I am! I didn't even drink. I'm just drunk._

"As impossible as that is, I still believe it."

And they take a few minutes to catch up, her doing most of the talking. He wishes that he was listening to her talk and watching her express her words in the empty seat across from him. Instead, he can only imagine her presence there: how she lights up with everything she says, using hand gestures and being sidetracked by her engagement ring. Daniel wishes that she came to the Academy but he couldn't picture her here. He felt that she was exploring her real self and he's the happiest when she's at hers. _Sure, she was far away, but she always felt close by. Not counting her voice in his ear._

_Emily: So how's the Academy?_

Daniel exhales. "I like it here so far even if it's not what I imagined."

_Emily: And how was that?_

He holds back a grin, surveying the room to see if anyone's watching him. _Nobody is_. "I'll tell you when you visit."

_Emily: Look at you being a tease already. I like it. Well, I'll tell you something else…_

Daniel's immersed in his phone call as Emily's words travel through the phone and into his ear. He wants nothing more than to get out of here. _He doesn't even like partying anyways. _He only came here for the sake of being a freshman and because James can't be trusted alone. Hell, if he didn't have James here, he would've spent the night in his room.

"Oh god…" James mutters as he sits across from his friend. "I know that face."

Daniel looks at him and his face reddens. "I'm on the phone."

James nods excitedly. "I know." He stretches himself across the table. "Emily, I miss you!"

_Emily: James! Oh my god, you're still alive! Oh shit, I have to start getting on my plane. I miss you, I love you, I'll visit when I can. Bye!_

As Emily hangs up, James slides Daniel over a plastic cup. He gestures to the bar where the crash-course in mixology is happening, meaning that his drink is one of their experiments. Daniel's hesitant on taking the drink because he doesn't know what's in there _and the people making them look crazy. _But James had some samples so it couldn't be that bad. _Should he do it? He's at a university party. Emily would've done it. Hell, Emily would've made the drink and chugged it straight from the shaker_.

"Let's call it a night here and check out Concrete Beach," James says. "I finally got service again and we have lots of missed texts."

Daniel nods, pushing the cup to the side. "Lead the way."

"What time is it where Emily is?"

"She doesn't even know where she is."

-o-

_Concrete Beach - 23:28_

This place wasn't even remotely close to The Boiler Room. Aside from the walk across campus to get here, Concrete Beach could've been on a different planet. Lights flashing everywhere, music blasting everywhere, people dancing and screaming everywhere - _someone just flew off a mechanical bull, hit their head and walked it off. _James and Daniel stand where they are: right at the entrance because they're scared to admit, ironically, that they're scared to move.

_This was the side of college their mothers warned them about._

"Look at all the babes," James says, scoping the scene. "Single me would've lost his mind."

"And his virginity," Merida says.

Both boys jump at her sudden presence beside them. They don't know when _exactly_ she got there. On any other day, they would've heard Merida's boots stomping over but they can't even hear their thoughts over the loud noise. Even seeing her hair from a distance would've been a possibility but the lights are rendering them blind. _Or maybe the Academy made her a master spy already?_

"You're not doing it in my dorm," Merida tells James.

Daniel realizes what she's talking about. "Or mine!"

James is still processing everything that happened ever since he walked in. He's too distracted by all the screaming and flashing lights. Instead of helping him, Merida takes Daniel's phone and starts breezing through his timetable to see his classes. Then, she lowers the phone in disappointment before handing it back to him.

"What?" Daniel asks her.

"Daniel Banner, we went from being locker neighbours to not sharing one single class," Merida tells him. "Not even that mandatory SHIELD history course. That's a cardinal sin."

"No offence but I don't plan on being on that side of campus at all."

"I don't expect you to." She steps closer to him to try and whisper in this loud room. "I wouldn't be caught dead in a lab coat. But didn't you hear? Our programs hate each other."

Daniel nods and that's when James comes back to reality. He's bunking in Sci-Tech and considers himself mostly in that program even though classes haven't started. But he's technically in both Sci-Tech and Operations. _Oh no…_

"I'm a Romeo and Juliet double-agent love child and I will die here," James says. He grabs Merida's cup and downs the rest.

Merida accepts the empty cup back in her hands and has a wicked smile. _She thrived on watching him get frazzled because he's an idiot. _"What's your weight class?"

"My _what_?"

"It was nice knowing you."

Across the beach, Xavier finally locates his roommate. _Were they supposed to keep tabs on each other?_ Not really, but it was nice to know that somebody has your back, especially when it's the roommate you met a couple of hours ago. If you start on the wrong foot, you won't make it to the end of the year. That's one of the reasons why Xavier walks over to him. Also, it's to introduce his sister to him and she's a few steps behind.

"Dude, there you are!" Ashton exclaims, bro-hugging as if they haven't seen each other in weeks. "I was at the bar and saw all the girls that I matched with."

"Must've been awkward," Xavier responds.

Ashton shrugs as they part. "Nah, I was buzzed so it wasn't bad."

"Right, so, this is my sister," Xavier says, gesturing to Angela. "Angela, this is Ashton. Ashton, Angela."

They shake hands, exchange names again, and do all the rudimentary icebreakers that they can in a club environment.

"So, you're the mom of the group," Ashton states.

Angela exhales. _Out of all the things_. "It's tiring."

Before their conversation could continue, they hear a familiar voice that draws their attention.

"My girlfriend!"

Angela opens her mouth to say something but James leaps into her arms. As she catches him, she tries to talk some sense into what the hell just happened. Ashton looks at Xavier and Xavier nods while mouthing the words _the boyfriend_ to him. Ashton gives him a _really_ look and Xavier nods with the same perplexed expression followed by an _Operations _mouthing as well.

"What program are you?" Ashton asks James. Although he knows that he's in Operations, he's curious about what specific branch if he already has one.

James looks at him and has the blankest face. _There were branches? Since when was The Academy a tree?_

"Romeo and Juliet," James answers.

Ashton nods even though he doesn't understand that. He looks at Xavier and Angela for some sort of explanation but they're just as lost as him.

Angela laughs nervously. "James, babe, you're drunk."

James pouts at her. "I'm not drunk, _you're_ drunk!"

He straightens out of her arms but he falls right back into them. Xavier facepalms as Ashton still tries to figure out what _Romeo and Juliet_ meant.

"How am I attracted to him?" Angela asks.

"I've been asking that for the longest time," Xavier says.

"Nevermind, I just am."

As Angela lies to talk some sense into him, Daniel approaches them with Merida. They do a handoff so now both Angela and Daniel hold James up by an arm each. Merida and Daniel don't even know what happened to James that he ended up like this. _Maybe it was something in that Boiler Room drink…_

"I left him alone for five minutes," Daniel says.

And everyone looks at Daniel as if he's made the biggest mistake because they thought he was smarter than that.

* * *

** Alright, there was the first glimpse into the social part of college. The next chapter will be the first day of classes.**


	5. Year One: The First Day

**On my first day of university, I was late. I awkwardly walked into class and everyone stared at me because I was that ****_little first-year freshie in a second/third-year introduction to French Literature course_****. It's a small program, everyone knew each other, so they wondered who the hell I was. I sat in the front, spoke to nobody, wanted to die, and forgot how to French. ****_Good times._**

* * *

Year One: The First Day

_Edison Residence - 7:06 AM_

James stands in front of his opened closet trying to decide what to wear for the first day. It's his first time picking an outfit for school because his entire life before that consisted of uniforms. Although he has a set of Operations training uniforms, he only had to wear those for the training classes. _Does he have to go to that today? What is his schedule for today? _Either way, he won't wear it. It's not like classes will start. It should be syllabus day.

Speaking of syllabuses, he should read his at some point. _Probably won't_. He could technically skip today since nothing will happen, but if he wouldn't read the syllabus, he should listen to the professor go through it. _But now he's banking on whether he'll listen…_

James ends up wearing a button-up with a sweater vest. Out of muscle memory, he goes to adjust his tie but there's nothing there. He turns around and looks in the mirror to confirm that his collar is empty.

Daniel comes out of their bathroom and notices James' fashion crisis. "Do you want a tie?"

James hesitates for a second. "Nope."

"Did you think of your dissertation over the summer?" Daniel asks.

James looks at him. "My what?"

Daniel's speechless, unsure of how to respond.

The first year of the Sci-Tech program is a preliminary year. All the students must get their _express Ph.D._ by the end of the year to continue. They'll only have to get some papers out there, meet a certain word count depending on the field, and face criticism or publication. Both results equal a pass. Then, once accepted to continue the Academy, students have the option to advance their express Ph.D. or they could dabble somewhere else.

James laughs before patting his shoulder and walking his friend to the door. "Don't worry about me."

_He knows Daniel will worry, anyways, but it was worth a shot._ James is expected to complete a dissertation and earn an express Ph.D. by conducting independent research. Everyone started theirs last year, most after their high school graduations. He was supposed to begin over the summer but he couldn't find anything worth solving.

But he's doubling in Operations so maybe he's an exception to the rule. _Fingers-crossed. _

-o-

_Cafeteria - 7:37 AM_

They thought they would get lost on the way to the cafeteria, but they found their way since everyone was going there.

And when they enter, a mess of noise comes from everywhere. It's almost like Concrete Beach but exchange the alcohol and mechanical bull for kids from the other two Academies. It's easy to identify who was in what program based on what they were wearing. Operations kids were in their training uniforms (mandatory for the first day) while Communications and Sci-Tech kids blended in their civvies.

Angela and Merida head towards the spiralling line and wait. Other Operations kids give them that nod as respect for sharing the program. _Maybe they'll see them in around an hour when classes start. Did it look like they shared a weight class?_

"It's our first day!" Angela exclaims, holding Merida's arm excitedly.

"Exactly," Merida says, not bothering to take her arm back. "So keep your energy intact because we have over a hundred more. And another four years."

"I bet Emily's being served wine and cheese on a silver platter."

"With a side of caviar and a view of the sunset."

"Lucky сука." Merida scoffs as they take a few steps forwards. "Speaking of food, we're about to enter the war-zone. Do you know what you want?"

Angela looks ahead and sees the food service of the cafeteria consists of students from every Academy darting from station to station, seeing what they want within the options and before someone else snags it. _Classes haven't started and they were already eating each other alive_.

"No," Angela says, eyeing whatever might be left by the time she gets inside. "Do you?"

Merida laughs, holding on to Angela's arm tightly. "Nope."

-o-

_Operations' Training Room A - 8:13 AM_

Angela walks into her first class about fifteen minutes early. It takes place in one of the training rooms so it's an open space with a high ceiling. Some equipment rests to the side after being put away by the previous class of upper years. It's evident in the smell that the room was just used. The room is mixed with freshies and upper years. The major differentiation is that the freshies have fresh, crisp uniforms. Upper years are covered in sweat and have tears and patches in various places. Both the person and the uniform look rundown.

They smile wickedly seeing the freshmen. Angela smiles back although she's being looked at as _fresh meat. Maybe that's where the term freshie comes from?_ When Angela spots Xavier, she gravitates towards him.

Before the twins could greet each other, professors (or trainer, or even SHIELD agent; same things) start yelling. There's a flood trying to get the upper years out quickly to the showers and the first years to walk in like they own the place and stand in a straight line across the space. The chaos combined with yelling has become white noise in seconds. They're being called _cadets_ and _freshies_ and every other iteration.

They went from high school seniors (the head cheerleader and football captain) to the bottom of the barrel.

-o-

_Sci-Tech's Lecture Room - 8:17 AM_

They didn't sit at the very back, but not the very front either. Daniel and James sit in the middle of a row in the centre of the room. It wasn't intentional. Although they were early, there weren't many seating options that had two available seats next to each other. Almost every row had a pattern of seats that were taken and vacant. Nobody knew each other and it was obvious because nobody wanted to sit beside each other unless there were no other seats left. _Then it's the question of which empty seat you choose because the two strangers on both sides will give you looks._ It didn't help that the _desks_ were really row-long tables with chairs. Personal space is trivial.

The moment they spot two empty seats next to each there, Daniel and James bolted like children. It didn't help that the chairs spun 270 degrees and they were so easily amazed. People around them look up from their laptops for a second before returning to minding their business.

"Alright, let's start," the professor (or SHIELD agent; same thing) says.

The class goes pin-drop silent and over a hundred pairs of eyes face the man in the front. The room was large, resembling a movie theatre with rows that become more elevated the rows became by a single stair step. All seats face the centre of the room, the teacher and his background array of whiteboards.

The professor smiles warmly at the class. "I always feel honoured to lead the Oath of Enlistment."

-o-

_Operations' Training Room B - 8:20 AM_

_The Oath of Enlistment_.

Merida knows about that. On cue from her trainer, she and her surrounding classmates stand straight.

It's a promise that every freshie makes before the start of their classes. They have to swear to adhere to the SHIELD Code of Conduct for their entire academic career at The Academy. And at graduation, when they become agents, they repeat it. They enforce discipline, order, _all the good things._

"Raise your right hand and repeat after me," the trainer starts. All the students follow, raising their hands at the same level as their heads. "I, state your full name."

Everyone repeats the first word with the same monotonous voice. Then it's a cacophony of everyone's names that turns into laughter. They're all shushed and it takes a few seconds for the laughs to simmer because _it's disrespecting the Oath_. Then, they're all quiet as they wait for the next statement.

During the Oath, Merida's mind goes elsewhere as her mouth repeats the words like a robot. _This feels longer than the Pledge. _

-o-

_Sci-Tech's Lecture Room - 8:24 AM_

Daniel has to nudge James to look straight ahead. James glances at his friend as he clears his throat and raises his hand even higher with a bright toothy grin on his face. In any other situation, Daniel would've facepalmed (which he would've done if his dominant hand wasn't in the air to show allegiance). _Why did it have to be him watching James? What did the universe ever do to him?_ It did him a favour because he effortlessly brings a smile to his face.

"Have been appointed a cadet for SHIELD Academy," the professor continues. He's not reading off a sheet so he had this memorized. _It must've been that big an honour._

As everyone drones through the line, James slightly leans in closer to Daniel and repeats it with an awful British accent. Daniel has to take a breath, exhaling through his nose and biting down on his lips to prevent himself from laughing.

-o-

_Operations' Training Room A - 8:28 AM _

As they follow and repeat what the lead officer says, Angela finds the words getting caught in her throat. _This is real life_. It hits her that this is bigger than herself. She stopped paying attention and almost lowered her hand, but thank god she didn't. Instead, she mouths the words and looks at the ground. She feels tears starting to form in her eyes and reaches the point where she stops mouthing. _Is this really her life? _

Xavier notices Angela's trance and nudges her with his left arm. She jumps a little but not enough for anyone to notice. She looks at him for a moment before back at the leading officer.

"So help me God."

"So help me God," they all repeat. _She will need it._

Everyone disperses. Students start mingling with each other, finally relieved to lower their arm after an oath that seemed like it would last to graduation. In a sense, it will.

Angela exhales out of relief as she looks at Xavier. "Is it bad that I'm already scared?"

Instead of responding, because he didn't know the right answer, Xavier wraps an arm around Angela's shoulders to comfort her.

The lead agent calls their attention once again. "Welcome to the beginning of the rest of your life. Welcome to SHIELD Academy. Class is now in session."

* * *

**They're starting their first day while I'm coming out of my first winter exam in second year. It went bad. ****_Life's _****_great_****.**


	6. Year One: Weight Class Distribution

**The me starting this chapter hasn't started her winter exams. The me publishing this is free from her winter exams.**

* * *

Year One: Weight Class Distribution

_Operations' Training Room B - 10:02 AM_

Just because people are in the same program doesn't mean they'll share classes. Most courses are offered at many times during the week and at different hours. And there's the division within levels, mostly for classes in Operations. The biggest division is by weight class which gives students a fair chance against their classmates. The classes involving lectures and readings are free game. The first-year of Operations is all exercising, weaponry readings, muscle building, and getting your aviation license. The second-year is all sparring, combat training, and practising with simulations and fake weapons. Third-year is when you get the real toys but, according to their RAs, that's when growing tension and dropouts, including failed psychological evaluations, have a positive correlation. _Because who can really handle being given a loaded weapon?_

Merida turns towards the door and sees James enter. She isn't sure how to react since he's wearing a damn sweater-vest instead of his training uniform. Merida knows that he's doubling in Sci-Tech and likely had a class there before here, but _still_. She honestly finds this hilarious. Their classmates turn and stare, probably wondering _what's this lanky-looking nerd kid doing here? Is he lost? _Merida hopes he's supposed to be somewhere else.

If Merida didn't know him, she would've thought the same thing. But this _lanky child_ can blast them with finger guns so he's got that advantage.

Wait, James is in _her class_. _They're the same weight class?_ Oh, now she wants to drop out. She's offended but that snarky grin on his face means that he's flattered to be at her level.

"Where's your uniform?" Merida asks.

"It's cold in here," James whispers back.

Merida sighs. _Why did she get stuck with this moron?_ At least nobody, not even the head trainer agent, asked him. _Perks of syllabus day._

"I hope you did the summer reading on the upcoming training regimes," their professor says.

He gives the whole class a somewhat dirty look, knowing that they didn't do the reading so they'd better cram it for their next class. Except he gives James a small smile. Merida wasn't aware of the sweater-vest benefit. He looks smarter so that means he _likely_ did the reading. _Goddamn, she should've worn a stupid sweater-vest on top of her uniform. _He didn't even get yelled at for not wearing his training uniform!

"There's a lot of training for you kids to be a specialist," the professor summarizes. _So what's the point of doing the reading now?_ "You have your standard falls, fighting styles, weaponry, etc. It's a continuous cycle to make you stronger. You had the chance to prepare yourself because, out in the real world, there's no preparation. You only have what you know."

Merida glances at James and sees that he's already bored out of his mind. He's disappointed that not all the training at the Academy was the cool superhero-related activities their parents did on the weekends. They had to _train up to that point._ Espionage work isn't like the movies. It's more paperwork, surveillance, training, etc. She got that speech many times from her parents when she packed her bags.

James catches Merida looking at him and he smiles. For once in her life, she can't help but smile back.

They didn't do the reading. They didn't know there was a reading. _Even if they did know about it, they wouldn't have touched it._

-o-

_Sci-Tech's Laboratory - 10:11 AM_

Unlike the lecture room, the laboratory classrooms were smaller. It's a bright white room with loads of natural light coming in from the windows that were the size of doors. Along the walls were spaced out lab benches, each with four chairs. Each section had a sink, eyewash stations, two burners, and enough counter space for the group to do their individual work. _Which might be his route since he doesn't know who's at his bench._

It reminds Daniel of a high-tech version of his high school, like if his high school had at least a million dollars in funding for their science program.

Daniel looks around and sees all his classmates typing away on laptops. He isn't sure what they could be typing since the professor wasn't teaching anything. _It's syllabus day. _Daniel didn't bring his laptop because why would he? All he has is a notepad and pencil and, even then, he didn't write anything down. The syllabus is on their class site and any important information will be repeated when relevant. But on any other day, he still wouldn't take notes with a keyboard. _Many studies show the link between memory retention and writing._

"Know your calculator," the professor tells them. "It can be your best friend, lover or worst enemy."

Daniel isn't sure how to that information but he drops his pencil on the counter. Everyone around him has stopped typing, looking at each other with _did he really say that _faces. All their faces are blank with terror, confusion or all the above.

But Daniel knows this: his calculator will only be a calculator.

-o-

_Operations' Training Room A - 10:28 AM_

Angela and Xavier walk beside each other in the crowd of their classmates. Their head trainer for this session was absent and their teaching assistant (or TA) was leading. There wouldn't be any routines since they just got here. _How nice of them_. Today was only a tour of the area they'll spend their next four years running circles. Each stop had a piece of equipment that was demonstrated and had the benefits provided. There was a track indoors and outdoors. Indoors would only be used if the weather screamed _apocalypse. _

"But if I was in charge, I wouldn't do that to you," the TA says. "If it gets to the temperature where I wouldn't want to stand, I won't."

She leads them up a staircase that brings them to a circulatory observation deck of the room. From up here, they have a better view of the holes on the floor meant for the blood and sweat to seep through. _And there are a lot of them. _As the TA gives them a rundown on their assessments and training regimens, Angela and Xavier look at each other. Twin telepathy isn't real, but they've known each other since the womb so they know what the other is thinking.

_They will die here. _But they're warriors on the inside. The more they train, the more they're in contact with the holes on the floor.

-o-

_Hudson Residence - 15:25 PM_

Xavier comes back to his dorm, tired as hell after the day although he did nothing but here about the course. _His day wasn't even over yet. _He still had upcoming lecture halls to visit. Xavier couldn't imagine what would happen when they started training, especially running outside during the dead of winter. But he'll be fine. Those super-soldier genetics will kick in _although his dad got defeated from crashing a plane in ice_. He could overlook those details. Xavier was more concerned about his other classmates. He overheard them coming from military schools and programs so they've likely been through worse, but still. They would only go inside if the weather screamed _apocalypse._

He wasn't sure if the military had an _apocalypse_ drill.

Xavier throws his bag by his desk and sees Ashton lying on his bed on his phone. He looks up when he sees Xavier.

"How were your classes so far?" Xavier asks. Because there's no way in hell that anyone is done this early.

Ashton puts his phone to the side. "Angela's boyfriend is in my weight class. He came in a sweater vest."

Xavier is speechless although that makes perfect sense the more he thinks about it.

Ashton sits up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. "His redheaded friend had the same face you did when he walked in."

_Oh, that makes everything better_. "So, Merida's in his weight class."

"I didn't catch her name, but I guess."

Xavier takes a minute to die laughing. He didn't think the Academy would kill him _this_ early, but this was the best way to go. God, it must've humiliated Merida to realize that she and James share a weight class, be he would've loved it. _And he showed up in a sweater-vest._ Ashton didn't get what was so funny and that makes Xavier laugh more. _That's a story for another time._

"Anything else?"

"The profs are intense," Ashton responds.

Xavier nods. "My mom was a trainer before she went back to being a field agent."

Ashton's face opens with a little pity. "… you must've had it rough."

"Not really."

"Why'd she change?"

"She met my dad."

"Damn." Ashton whistles. "That's a romance to live up to."

Xavier shakes his head in defeat. "I can never achieve that."

"Don't say that. You had your high school girlfriend. You have that experience. Anything's possible."

"Yup."

_Had. Past tense._

* * *

**Me too, Xavier, me too.**


	7. Year One: Parabiosis

**Parabiosis - the (anatomical) joining of two individuals.**

**So, I didn't live in a dorm (but if my summer plans come to fruition, I might for ten weeks at most), but I did share a room with my sister while growing up. So I would say I have some experience for this.**

* * *

Year One: Parabiosis

_Atlantic Residence - 16:32 PM_

_Group Chat - Clint and His Redheads  
Members: Clint, Merida, and Natasha_

_Clint: You're attending class, right?_

_Merida: Of course. What else would I be doing?_

Merida smiles, chewing on her thumbnail as she watches her father type a response. Her knees come up to her chest as she leans against the wall, anticipating for a list of alternatives for when she skips class. _When_. She wasn't offended when her father asked because her high school attendance record wasn't exemplary. Besides, she likes what she's learning now … mostly. _Introduction to Aviation puts her head in the clouds and she didn't even fly a jet yet. _At least it's better than calculus.

The longer it takes for her dad to send the message, the more excited she gets.

But then the typing text bubble disappears. Merida only smiles more. She knows what that means.

_Natasha: He's not going to give you any ideas._

_Clint: I should've copied that message so I could send it to her privately. _

_Natasha: Like hell you are._

_Merida: Should I leave this chat or -?_

_Clint: You already left us for university! Our house is empty! Please come home._

_Merida: Was that on your list of things I can do to skip class?_

_Clint: It was the first one before your mother erased it._

_Natasha: She just started. She doesn't have to come home yet._

Merida scoffs as the texting bubbles come to a pause. She guesses that her parents are arguing about wanting her at home versus letting her stay and get an education, only coming home when it works with her schedule. So her closest option is Thanksgiving which is two months away. _But she doesn't like that because she hasn't been away from home for that long before. _Merida goes back to the chat and starts messaging her mother in Russian. She knows that her mom is translating the messages to her dad, which is when he pipes in with a response a few moments later.

Merida looks away from her screen for a moment as Angela walks in. She closes the door behind her and walks over. Angela sees the Russian text but can infer enough about The Barton Family's group chat based on Clint's English responses and Merida's creepy smile aimed at her.

"You're texting in Russian but I know you're telling your parents about me," Angela says.

Merida continues typing. "I'm hoping they pass the word onto your parents."

-o-

_Edison Residence - 17:00 PM_

Daniel turns in his desk chair when he hears the door open. To his surprise, he sees James wearing his Operations training uniform. That's more shocking to him that the bouquet in his hands. _Mistake, it's a bouquet in a bucket. _Daniel didn't even think flowers could come in buckets but, apparently, they do. That's the moment he closes his textbook because he's putting way too much thought towards the bucket of flowers when there were more important questions to discuss.

James puts the flowers down on top of Daniel's closed textbook, brushing off the leaves that fell. "The delivery guy handed this to me, shrugged, and said _I don't know_."

Daniel looks at the card sticking out of the dirt and sees that it's from Emily as a _congrats on the first-day_ gift. His heart warms up when he sees that it's addressed to _fiancé and roommate_ from _fiancée_. James was happy that he was at least mentioned in the card.

"How do you water a bucket?" Daniel asks him.

"Not sure." James shrugs. "You're the smart one."

"This came without instructions."

James laughs. "Of course, it has no instructions. It's a bucket of flowers from Emily Stark."

"Would you water it if I was in class?"

"No. You're on the bottom bunk."

Daniel gives him a face because that's the weirdest reasoning he could've ever come up with for an argument. _And he was going with it._

"What does that have to do with it?" Daniel asks. _Might as well try a James debating technique._ "You can fly!"

James mimics his earlier expression. "What does that have to do with it?"

"Ask some ants to do it."

"I left them at home."

Daniel almost facepalms. "There are ants in New Jersey!"

"I don't trust them."

-o-

_Hudson Residence - 22:41 PM _

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" Ashton asks Xavier.

Xavier didn't even have time to process Ashton returning to their dorm, let alone the question. And he seemed really eager too, hoping that Xavier would either have a clear schedule or be anywhere but the dorm room. He's almost scared to answer.

"Not sure," Xavier responds.

Ashton cheers for a bit. Xavier is still clueless about what's going on.

"Can you do me a favour?" Ashton asks.

Xavier hesitates. His gut tells him to say no because if he's starting a favour with two questions, it wasn't good news. But this is his roommate. Ashton would never do anything wrong, _hopefully_. Whatever. It's college. He could handle himself if worse comes to worst, _which it likely won't._

"Sure."

"Great." Ashton takes a seat on the edge of his desk. "Okay, so I've been texting a girl I met in one of my classes. I finally asked her out for tomorrow night. The catch is that she wants it to be a double date since she doesn't know me that well, but I'm cool with that. Anything to make ladies comfortable, right? The problem is that I'm supposed to provide the date for the roommate."

Xavier didn't realize he was shaking his head the moment he heard the word _catch_. "Nope."

Ashton groans. "Come on, you said you'd do it."

"Before you told me what it was."

"You still said yes."

Xavier can't argue with that. _He should've listened to his gut._

Nothing's stopping him from going on this date. He could go. He's single and in college with no plans for tomorrow night. His mind says _yes_, gut says _should've asked first_, and heart says _no_. He still loves Britney, even when they broke up. Their breakup wasn't instant. He saw it coming ever since she told him that she was going to Asgard after graduation. And when that day came, their breakup felt more like a business transaction than the end of their relationship. _It was mutual. No one dumped the other._ People told him that those are the easiest kinds of breakups but they're not.

And now he's zoned out from the favour and Ashton's notices.

"I think you're lonely," Ashton tells him.

Xavier straightens, suddenly feeling the need to be defensive. "I'm not."

"You have your longtime friends which is amazing, but you're also facing this discrepancy due to the absence of, let's say _bro _and _best girl_. Mostly _best girl_ in this case. Studies have shown that it's not good for men to be alone. They need to find someone within two years."

Xavier scoffs, turning his back to his roommate. "It's been a few months. I still have time."

Ashton rolls his eyes and stops Xavier from leaving the room to escape this conversation. "Look, I'm not telling you to move on, but you should at least think about it. It'd be better if you thought quickly because it's tomorrow night."

"I just got out of a relationship. Being single is a time to heal."

"You said it's been months."

Xavier gives him a face and Ashton changes his strategy.

"Look, life's short to miss the chance to go on a date," Ashton reasons. "Or, better yet, it doesn't even have to be a date. Just hang out with her roommate."

"Can't you tell her to go with only the two of you?"

"The girl would only go out with me if she brought someone for her roommate."

Xavier pauses, eventually sighing in defeat. "You should've started with that."

"Damn. I thought I did."

Xavier walks back deeper into the room. He quickly checks the time and thinks that he has about a day to get his act together because he hasn't dated in months. He didn't even think about dating ever since Britney left. _Did he and Britney even date when they were together? _He only remembered hanging out and being in love with her. They never scheduled _dates _but they've done things that people would consider as _dates_. If they were free, they spent it together.

Forget the two-year relationship. He'll be walking into this with essentially no experience.

"Did you really do research for this conversation?" Xavier asks, referring to that mention about studies.

Ashton shrugs. "I heard it somewhere but it seems true based on you."


	8. Year One: Back in the Dating Game

**I've been excited about this chapter for so long! To date, this is my favourite chapter.**

* * *

Year One: Back in the Dating Game

_Concrete Beach - 21:22 PM_

Xavier has no idea what he's doing.

Xavier woke up this morning and forgot about the favour. He went the whole day with it out of his mind. He went to class, did his training exercises, sat in lectures - it was a great day. That is, until Ashton texted him thirty minutes before remind him about the double date.

Xavier read the text and had flashbacks to their conversation. And at that present moment, he didn't know what to do. With Britney, everything was casual. They never had to do introductions in a date setting. They met as classmates, became friends, and eventually something more. Becoming her boyfriend was natural because it just _happened_. They could've gone the whole two years without the status change and still be exclusive to each other.

Now, hypothetically, this would be something from scratch. And although it wouldn't be anything serious, he couldn't just sit there. He had to be pleasant and entertaining for the night.

It also took him way too long to pick something to wear but he scrapped something together. It was a white shirt with jeans and a bomber jacket. He's pretty sure he wore it to class. _Oh well, that was how he dressed with Britney and it worked for two years._

"Are you excited?" Ashton asks as the two of them head over to Concrete Beach.

"No," Xavier responds.

"Don't tell them that."

Ashton fakes a smile for Xavier as he points ahead at two girls sitting at a booth right outside Concrete Beach. Ashton stands beside one of the girls which makes Xavier assume the other girl, _the one looking at him up and down_, is his date.

Xavier couldn't deny it. She's a cute girl. Short dirty-blonde hair, big and prominent brown eyes, clear skin with no makeup. She's not showing any extra skin in her high-necked sweater, jeans, and sneakers - unlike her roommate who should wear a jacket since it's chilly outside and everything is on the verge of slipping out. _His date looks like she didn't put any effort into this like him. _

"Xavier," Ashton starts, "this is the roommate, Orchid Vermillion."

"Xavier what?" Orchid asks immediately, continuing to look up at him with her big eyes.

Xavier pauses because he didn't expect the Southern accent. He's never really heard one in person before and it was cool. _But now he's looking at her like a deer-in-headlights, which she might have seen in person many times before._

"Rogers," Xavier responds.

Orchid lifts her brows as if to say _okay, cool_ and Xavier puts his hands in his jacket's pockets. He doesn't know what to do. She doesn't know what to do. Ashton and his date don't know what to do, but they eventually head inside towards Concrete Beach's dance floor.

Xavier still stands there, wondering if Orchid wanted to head inside as well but she remains seated and fiddles with the straw in her drink. _Should he ask her? _

"Are you going to sit down or -?" Orchid asks.

"Right," Xavier says quickly, rushing over to the seat across from Orchid where her roommate was sitting.

The two of them sit silently for a bit, unsure of what to do. _God, this is awkward. _He would feel rude to go on his phone, especially since she wasn't using hers. At least she has a drink to fiddle with. Xavier sits back in his seat, watching her look everywhere else but at him as she finishes her drink. When she puts her glass down and looks at him, he looks away. _At least they weren't dancing inside. _That would've made everything worse.

"You look like a basic white boy," Orchid tells him.

"Because I am." Xavier orders a drink. "You look like a basic white girl."

"I had my hand up a cow's ass before I started school."

Out of all the answers, Xavier wouldn't have even expected that as the _last_ one possible. How does he even respond to that? _Did he even hear that right?_

"We had to deliver the placenta," Orchid says as Xavier's drink arrives.

Again, so many questions. It doesn't help that she was so casual about her seemingly bizarre responses (because they were normal to her). Instead, Orchid takes his drink which makes him order another one. She crosses her legs in her chair as she looks at Xavier. At least their awkward tension seemed like it was starting to melt. _But little did he know he was going to freeze it._

"You look nice," Xavier says. _Why did he sound so fake? _He didn't intend for that.

He waits for a response. _What do girls do? A smile? A thanks? _Orchid does none of that. Her eyes narrow as her nose crinkles. Her drink remains still in her hands as Xavier's arrives. He tries not to drink the whole glass in one go. _Did he screw up already? _He didn't think he did.

Orchid exhales a laugh. "That seemed forced."

Xavier's face starts heating up. "It's not."

"My roommate said I dressed like a Mormon housewife."

"I don't know what that looks like."

Orchid can't tell if he's serious but she smiles a little from the corner of her mouth. "Good. My family is so traditional that they might as well be Mormon. They didn't want me to come here to the Academy and be educated. You know, just stop after high school and stay on the farm. My great-grandmother, who's somehow still alive, wanted me to marry my neighbour's son after my graduation. Apparently, she could sense my ovaries drying up which, by the way, they're not."

Xavier clears his throat. _Wow_. She didn't have a filter.

"Where are you from?" He asks.

"Tennessee. What about you?"

"New York."

Her eyes widen a little as her lips purse together. "Alright, City Boy, are you in Operations?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Weight Class B."

"A."

She raises her brows, checking out his physique again while nodding approvingly. "Clearly."

Not knowing what to do next, Xavier orders some food for the table. Orchid eyes him carefully as she reaches for the first mozzarella stick once it arrives. He can tell that she notices everything about him because he wasn't trying hard to hide it. After the first bite and twisting the cheese string from the divide, she laughs a little which confuses Xavier.

"If it makes you feel better, I'm only here for my roommate," Orchid tells him. "Her meal plan will cover this."

Xavier's mouth goes dry. "Oh, no it's fine. I was just - are you two friends?"

Orchid laughs again. "God no. She _begged_ me to come. Like she was on her knees as if she was milking a stubborn cow. She was as desperate as hell but I needed a night out and should watch over her. She seems like a lightweight. What about you?"

"He asked and said I was lonely."

"Aren't you a good and sad person."

The night progressed. Xavier didn't know how long he was supposed to stay here and neither did Orchid. Neither of them wanted to go inside the club and grind on each other like everyone else in there. And it's not like their roommates came out to bring them back to their dorms. Bro code says to go have fun on your own, but girl code (as Xavier's heard) says to watch your girl's back. _So that's a reason why he didn't call it a night or insist on leaving._ But they're adults. They can take care of themselves and sit here like two people set up on a _not-date_ date.

Little do they know that they caught each other spacing out. When their eyes meet again, small smiles appear.

"Aren't you scared of getting caught checking someone out?" Orchid asks.

Xavier shakes his head. "I'm more scared someone _thinking_ that I'm checking them out."

Orchid nods, taking another mozzarella stick. "Smart, City Boy. Now, tell me, who's the girl?"

Xavier's cheeks heat up again and he readjusts his jacket. "What?"

"I grew up on a farm, _if you couldn't already tell_. I would see that longing face from the sheep when we took their _mates_ for breeding."

Xavier narrows his eyes at her. "Are you calling me a sheep?"

To his surprise, Orchid baas. Xavier's jaw drops because he should've seen that coming but he didn't. _And it sounded so real that it was freaky._ Orchid laughs to herself and Xavier eventually joins in. The sheep bleat made the night. Orchid raises a brow, waiting for Xavier to answer but pulls back when he remains distant.

"Okay, fine, don't tell me," Orchid says. "I'll get it out of you one -"

"My high school sweetheart."

"-day. Oh my god! She's your prize hen!"

Orchid almost screams, causing Xavier to jump a little in his seat. She has one hand with a mozzarella stick in front of her mouth in shock while her other hand is holding his arm. She looks like she's about to cry and, honestly, he would too. Memories of his _high-school sweetheart_ leaving with her cousin - his best friend - are too much for him. But he shifts his focus back on Orchid who has a tight grip on his forearm. She would definitely tell he's in Weight Class A. _But did she call Britney a prize hen?_

"No wonder you know how to be nice to girls!" Orchid exclaims. "You're an actual gentleman!"

Xavier nods. "It took more than that."

"Pass me your phone."

Xavier does so and she begins typing on it. He should get better at asking before doing. Then, her phone dings in her pocket and she takes it out, passing Xavier's phone back to him. Xavier looks at the screen and sees that she started a texting conversation with him to exchange numbers.

"You're going to help me," Orchid says.

"Okay," Xavier responds. _Again, he should ask first. _"Help with what?"

"Finding my high school sweetheart."

"We're not in high school."

"Oh, Xavier, you and I will be besties with that logic."

She smacks the table happily and sits back with an excited smile. Xavier sighs, watching Orchid stir the straw in her glass, mixing her now-diluted drink with the melted ice cubes. _What did he get himself into?_

-o-

_Somewhere Around Concrete Beach - 00:21 AM_

They finished their drinks, paid the bill, left the lounge. They weren't going inside to grind on each other but they chose to walk around. Orchid still had to keep eyes on her roommate and Xavier felt bad to leave his new _bestie_ when she still had a lot of energy. Besides, if he would help her look for a high school sweetheart in college, he had to figure out how to do that.

For a moment, he thinks that he'd be better at the date than matchmaking.

"Okay." Orchid claps. "Tell me about high school sweethearts."

Xavier looks at her and is surprised when she's serious. "I thought you wanted one. You said you went to high school."

"I know the idea of it but not the reality. The _sweethearts_ I know are the people at my school who got pregnant and married before the baby came. Romantic, right? Nobody lasted."

"Yeah, well." Xavier shrugs. "I didn't last."

"Did you have a child?"

"God, no."

"But you did more than sex, right?"

"Yup."

Xavier realizes how quickly he answered that and Orchid pauses before holding back laughter. _He really should've said no to this not-date date_. She's laughed at him more than she's said words. But it's true, though.

"Have you had sex?" Orchid asks.

Xavier coughs, causing more laughter. He rolls his eyes. This girl has no filter for questions or backstories. It was very different from what he's used to. He knew his friends from birth so nothing was ever new. The only big secret he's been aware of was Britney.

"Come on," Orchid nags. "We're adults and I'm invested in your high school flame as much as you will be in my conquest for something close enough. I bleated for you."

"I remember," Xavier says. _Best part of the whole night. _

"Do I have to bleat again?"

"No."

"No to the virginity or the bleating?"

"Yes."

Orchid stops their walking. She around and faces him.

"You're confusing me," she says. She points up at him and narrows her eyes as she leans up close to his face. "_Not cool, bestie_."

Xavier smiles. "Yes to both."

Orchid's face twitches since she doesn't know how to react. She backs down, pats his shoulder, and resorts to baaing again.

-o-

_Hudson Residence - 2:38 AM_

Before they went their separate ways, Orchid said that she had to go collect her roommate if she was still at Concrete Beach but promised to get back to him when it was time to go man-hunting for her. Besides, if she wanted a man in Operations, _who better to ask than her new male bestie in Operations? _He still can't believe he's calling Orchid Vermillion his bestie. And at least he'll have something to do and someone to hang out with.

He returns to his dorm and turns on the light. Xavier sees Ashton but, thankfully, not with Orchid's roommate. It's not like there's a sock on the door.

"So, how'd it go?" Xavier asks.

"Awful," Ashton responds. "It was like talking to a wall."

"Aw, don't say that. The posters on the wall were phenomenal."

Ashton glares at him. "_Ha, ha_. But she didn't ask anything about me. Questions have to be reciprocated. I asked her questions for small talk and she just said _yes_ or _no_. It felt like an interrogation."

"Then you should've gone on a date with Orchid. All she did was talk." _And baa._

"Then you must've had a good time."

"It was something."

Xavier doesn't regret going on the _not-date date_. It was a good time and now he has a new _bestie_ and future plans. His parents told him not to mope around about Britney and even Apollo so he won't. He'll preoccupy himself until they come back. It's college. _It's time to be alive. _

"You still owe me," Xavier says as he takes off his jacket.

"What?" Ashton asks. "You had a great time."

"She basically knows my biography."

"Chicks are like that."

"I'm not dating her."

"She seemed better than my date."

_Orchid bleated and became his bestie. _

"You still owe me," Xavier confirms.

"Fine, whatever, that will be a thing for us now," Ashton concedes. "I respect that since I'm a man of my word."

"As am I."

"But you have to admit that you had fun."

"I did. I promised to be her wingman."

"Weird flex, but okay."

* * *

**And now, allow me to introduce our second ****_rando_****, Orchid Vermillion. Ain't she charming? She'll be back in a few chapters.**


	9. Year One: College Life Be Like

**I haven't experienced much of this (yet). I'm only going off of stories I've been told.**

* * *

Year One: College Life Be Like

_Atlantic Residence - 6:01 AM_

Angela and Merida know what a naked woman looks like because they themselves are naked women. They know the anatomical parts because they have the same ones. And they've been in communal showers before, but they weren't expecting to see this. Maybe a nip-slip but not free-range stark-nakedness around the place as they stepped in and out of the shower stalls.

Not that anyone cared. Some have towels and robes and the showers were misty from all the steam so that provided some coverage. But, for the most part, nobody cared if they saw your bits. They have places to be and couldn't care less if people shaved.

And it's been two weeks so everyone's already seen everything.

"Why are there even stalls?" Angela whispers to Merida as they walk around to see if there's one available.

"Because I couldn't care less about seeing boobs flying around," Merida responds. "I don't want to be stared at while soaping up."

Angela laughs in agreement. They didn't know these girls well enough to see who's a watcher. _God, they hope nobody is._

Hell, the only reason why they're open about showing it all is because nobody else gives a damn. It's early, everyone's tired and hungry, and everyone has to make a trip to the cafeteria before sprinting to class or early warm-ups.

But at least everyone was yelling compliments to each other about their curves. That's a beautiful start to the morning.

-o-

_Cafeteria - 7:38 AM_

Daniel and James stand to the side of the cafeteria. Neither of them wants to get caught in the stampede of hungry students, _especially those Operations students_. James is aware of leg-day and Daniel wouldn't survive getting run over. _James wouldn't either but because Emily would kill him for letting it happen_. So, they stay where it's safe.

"I think I used up my meal plan already," James says.

"You already bought a whole semester's worth of food already?" Daniel asks in disbelief. "It's been two weeks."

James shrugs. "I get hungry."

"I'm more concerned about there not being anything left."

James can't argue with that logic. Everyone in there was mad hungry. They seemed like ravenous animals fighting for the last of the prey. It's ironic how the students seek food for energy when their speed radiates that they already have enough in them.

"Screw this," James says.

He heads towards the back exit and Daniel follows. They approach the parking lot and Daniel stops at the edge of a parking spot as James walks in the middle of it. James bends down and pulls a toy car out of his pocket. He backs away and looks both ways before firing at it. Instantly, the toy car grows into a normal one and the boys get inside.

"Where do you want to eat?" James asks. "We have a little under an hour to kill."

-o-

_Hudson Residence - 15:14 PM_

Xavier and Ashton sit in their dorms, waiting for their next respective classes to begin. But they hear strange noises coming from their neighbours. Furniture banging against walls, hushed and rushed voices. Xavier and Ashton look at each other, wondering about the ruckus since they're not doing anything.

"I'll see what that's about," Xavier says, making his way over to the door.

But then the hallway fills with footsteps. Ashton gets up from his bed and slowly walks towards the door where Xavier stands.

"Alright, boys!" An agent from outside yells. Knocks slam on their door before going on others. "Step right out. It's inspection time!"

On command, Xavier and Ashton step out. As they read in their welcome booklets, they leave the door wide open and each other and stand on opposite sides of the doorframe. The rest of the boys on their floor are in the same position as head agents and RAs start filtering through each room.

_No wonder their colleagues were doing last-minute redecorating._

The doors are so thin that everyone knows what's going on. Someone's having a hookup? Everyone hears because tens of thousands of tuition dollars go towards hearing everyone's business. Someone's doing drugs? People will want some. Someone's crying? Well, that's different. Most times, it's ignored because of privacy _and manhood_, but if it gets too loud or worrisome, someone's going to knock and offer tissues or a beer.

Xavier glances at Ashton as an RA walks into their room. The two boys peek inside to see the RA rummaging around. _Was this in their rights? It had to be. _

"You have nothing, right?" Ashton whispers, almost inaudible.

"Nothing," Xavier responds. "What about you?"

Ashton's about to respond before the RA starts heading back out. The two boys straighten and act as if they never peeked. Nothing's in his hands so they must be good.

"Come on, future agents," the head agent says disappointedly as he leaves one of the rooms at the end of the hall. Xavier can't make out what he has but there are some items in his arms. "You should be better at hiding your contraband."

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 14:58 PM_

Dorm inspections are to check for contraband, stolen weapons or equipment from classes, etc. Not all dorms were safe from the inspections. Usually, they would happen on different days for each residence building to prevent others from trying to hide their prohibited items in advance.

But since this is the first dorm inspection of the year, they all happened at the same time to send a message. _Don't have banned shit within your walls._

Angela and Merida stand outside their dorm as do the rest of the girls on their floor. The lead agent and team of RAs zigzag through dorms, finding items that range from prohibited to you shouldn't have this. Some girls beg to keep their candles but the agents and RAs aren't taking it and only demand for the matches or lighter.

Merida watches as the lead agent, who happens to have their room, walks out. Instead of walking past their room with nothing, she stops at the doorway and alternately looks at Angela and Merida.

"Rogers, Barton, where are the darts for that board?" The agent asks.

In case they forgot, she points over their shoulders. Angela forgot about them having a dartboard so she's surprised to see it. Merida would've taken that down if they got more of a warning than shrieks and curses from their neighbours upon the oncoming knocking.

"I don't have any," Merida says, taking all the responsibility.

The agent raises a brow. "You don't?"

Angela looks at Merida and mouths the words _you don't_ with confusion. Because it's easy to tell a lot about someone by their dorm room. They're like little crime scenes with many clues to be discovered. That's why Angela's confused about why Merida might not have darts. _Who has a dart board without darts?_ Merida pretends not to notice her friend as the agent continues to look at her skeptically.

"They're banned," Merida states. "The board is for decoration and reminds me of my father."

"So what do you use to play?"

"Sharp pencils."

The agent eyed her for a minute before deeming their room as clear and heading to the next one. They stand in the halls for another twenty minutes before being dismissed back into their room.

Merida walks in first and Angela closes and locks the door behind them.

"I'm not completely buying that _reminds me of my father _story," Angela tells her. "Where are your darts?"

"Why?" Merida asks. "Want to play a round or two?"

Angela shrugs. "I don't see why not. They're not going to check our dorms again."

Merida grins as she walks over to her desk. She opens the bottom drawer and pulls out a box of tampons from the back. She takes out one of the plastic casings for the tampon and it's a dart. Merida grins at the sight of Angela's jaw dropping. _She's impressed because that took a lot of dedication._

"Be careful not to put any up in your business," Merida says before throwing it at the bullseye on the board.

-o-

_Edison Residence - 1:31 AM_

His class ended four hours ago, but he just returned to his dorm. James walks in quietly and uses the flashlight on his phone to maneuver around the dorm. Daniel's asleep and he doesn't want to wake him. James gently places his bag on the ground and shrinks to fly up to his top bunk.

James grows back to his normal size and turns off the flashlight on his phone. He doesn't bother to change because he'll end up doing it tomorrow. _Or in three hours when he's supposed to be down at the gym for warm-ups._

James yawns. He prioritizes time to be a human being than his class. Besides, he can warm up in his sheets and be there for when they get yelled at to do pull-ups and other crap like that.


	10. Year One: Meanwhile, in Wakanda

**Another chapter I'm excited about! This is the first chapter that will feature flashbacks.**

* * *

Year One: Meanwhile, in Wakanda

_Months Ago - Wakanda's Vibranium Mines_

Imanu didn't know why he was called, but he had to clean himself up from being down in the mines. And his supervisor gave him a stern face while informing him that _he better clean up nicely_. So he did but he did his best since he had to do it quickly. He washed up as quickly as he could, dressed up in his _professional _clothes, and threw on his lab coat. As directed, he walks down the laboratory hallways and enters one of the private offices. Closing the door behind him, he almost faints when he sees King T'Challa and Queen Ororo.

His mouth goes dry and his eyes almost pop out of his head. He has never seen them in person before, only from afar, from within a crowd, or on media outlets. They looked just as intimidating in person. Or even more.

"Your Highnesses…" Imanu mutters quickly, trying to get a grip on himself. _Was he sweating? He's heating up._ "To what do I owe the honour?"

"Actually, we owe you the honour," King T'Challa tells him, offering for Imanu to sit down in front of them.

Imanu takes a seat in the chair across from the desk. He watches as King T'Challa offers his wife the chair on the other side. She refuses modestly, allowing him to sit down. He refuses as well, insisting on her taking a seat. After a small banter that Imanu can't help but smile at, King T'Challa sits down as Queen Ororo stands behind him, resting her hands on his arm.

"You know about our daughter," King T'Challa starts.

Imanu nods upon realizing that he's talking to him. "I do."

It wasn't a question because everyone in Wakanda knows about his daughter.

-o-

_Months Ago - Wakanda's Palace_

He's in a line with fourteen other suitors.

All the suitors are in dashikis that vary in colour and style. It must be to put them on an even playing field but Imanu knows that's a failed attempt. Aside from all the introductions he awkwardly had to endure with them, he knew that he didn't stand a chance. They were all men of power, wealth, and status. _They had titles following their names!_ They had charisma and charm to each other and even more when King T'Challa and Queen Ororo walk in with their daughter trailing.

He's seen Princess Iqadi before but never in person and never when she would see him back. In the mines, he would sometimes catch a glance at her if she was in the lab from deep down with the vibranium. If she looked over the edge, she would barely see the speck he is. Other times, he would catch her in the media.

And she looked exactly like her photos: unreal.

Princess Iqadi strides confidently as she approaches him. There wasn't one flaw in sight - not a hair out of place or a wrinkle in her dress. _As if he expected one... _Her eyes are big and bold as they look at him and everything around him becomes irrelevant. There are words that Queen Ororo is saying as she introduces him and all he responds with is reddening and burning cheeks. According to her, which is likely why he's here, he's an expert on vibranium. It wasn't a lie because he does understand it, but _expert_ is an understatement.

_He hasn't even said anything and he already messed up. _As per routine, he quickly bows his head. _Maybe nobody saw that._ But when he meets Princess Iqadi's eyes as he raises his head, she's grinning.

He has no chance here.

-o-

_Months Ago - Wakanda's Palace_

Whenever Princess Iqadi took a trip to America, the suitors got time off. Some went home, some stayed here. Either way, they got to go back to their normal lives.

But not Imanu. After a few days with his family, he came back to the palace although he's uncomfortable as hell here. His parents were thrilled when he was chosen to be a suitor because even if he wasn't chosen to be the prince consort, he could still get out of working in the mines. He was still helping his family out with finances which is his dream, but it was less stressful being in the mines. At least in the dark, nobody saw him.

Now everyone has their eyes on him.

It's the façade that has him unnerved. Everyone thinks he's a junior scientist in the mines but that's only because he had to drop out of school to make money for his family. He wasn't formally educated or had comparable credentials to the other suitors. He learned everything from experience. Imanu thinks that he has to tell Princess Iqadi before it's too late to save her the time and him the possible heartbreak, but he doesn't know what _too late_ means. He has no romantic feelings for her now and why would she have any for him?

Imanu perks when he hears a knock on the door, turning that direction when it opens.

"Princess Iqadi is back," he tells Imanu.

Imanu nods and looks out his window and sees Iqadi arriving. Imanu realizes that _too late_ is when he falls in love with her. Keyword: _when_.

-o-

_Months Ago - Wakanda's Palace_

Imanu is crouched on his bedroom floor, looking at the mess of papers Iqadi has given him to look at. She was distressed when she ran into him and almost broke down in front of him. He was used to seeing his princess as this powerful beacon. Even when she was bleeding to death in front of him and had to be stitched, she was still the most dominant figure in the room. And now? He sees someone broken because she has to create plans for her country that she's against. Her heart is torn trying to be different people and he can relate. _It's worked for him so far, even after he told her the truth._

He hears her wake up and her eyes flutter open from his bed. Moments later, she climbs out of his bed and joins him.

"Are you sure you want _my_ assistance?" Imanu asks her. "You said yourself that this is strictly confidential."

"Don't worry," Iqadi responds. "You have my full permission to see and tweak this. My own mother doesn't know my father's plans."

Imanu doesn't respond. _The queen doesn't know her king's plans and here he is looking at the princess's. _This isn't right but it lights a small fire inside of him. It's a feeling he's only felt around her when she would unintentionally say things like that to ignite it.

"That makes me feel important," he says, starting to feel proud.

Iqadi puts a hand on his shoulder and he looks up at her. "You have to stop having doubts in yourself because you are important," I say. "You're helping me be a leader - a better one, actually. It takes a thousand little things to make this work."

-o-

_Months Ago - Wakanda's Palace_

Rumour had it that Princess Iqadi picked a suitor.

It couldn't be him. He wasn't worthy of being a prince. He wasn't worthy or Iqadi's heart or hand. He didn't even try and fight for it _so why did he fall in love with her? _He tried not to, _he really did_, but he couldn't help himself. Iqadi ended up being more than the princess he saw from afar. She was a real person who couldn't possibly love him back.

But they had a moment when he asked for his help with her contingency plan. They were delirious, emotional, fatigued - but they got close. _Close. _They were in each other's arms and close enough to kiss, but nothing happened.

Princess Iqadi left and he followed her path but not direction. They went to sleep in their own rooms, woke up the next day, and never addressed it. _It's not people were supposed to know, especially since he saw something he shouldn't have._ It felt like he dreamt the entire night because why would that ever happen to him? Did last night really happen to him? It was too good to be true. Everything about him being in this palace was too good to be true.

Imanu walks down the hallway of the palace. It's been quiet ever since Princess Iqadi possibly picked a suitor. He couldn't stay in his room. His body felt so tense and nervous because his whole life is changing when it's barely begun.

But then he sees Princess Iqadi at the end of the hallway. They stare at each other for a bit, unable to say anything. There isn't one clue on her face about her choice.

"Hello, Princess…" Imanu mutters. He was on a first-name basis with her, but he didn't feel like he could call her that anymore.

"Hello…" Princess Iqadi responds with whimsy in her voice.

-o-

_Months Ago - Wakanda's Palace_

Everyone's looking at him at the engagement announcement ball. It's the night where one of their lives will change forever. Princess Iqadi's going to propose and one of them will become the Prince Consort of Wakanda.

He can barely keep a smile and his body from exploding. Within the days since Iqadi made her choice, nobody knew who it was, not even her parents. Imanu has overheard the castle staff and his former colleagues from the mines take their bets on who it is. Imanu isn't sure of the numbers, but he isn't in the top three out of five and most have their eyes set on a stronger alliance with the Tiger tribe. _Rumour has it King T'Challa desires that outcome. Nobody knew about Queen Ororo's thoughts._

"Do you think she picked you?" Imanu's mother asks him.

His sister runs around excitedly at their feet, bouncing up and down about how her brother's about to be a prince. He smiles nervously, agreeing as a joke as he picks her up.

"Why?" Imanu asks his mother. "Do you think she did?"

"I don't see why not."

He can see a lot of reasons _why not_.

-o-

_Present Day - Outside of Wakanda's Palace - 12:47 PM_

Iqadi walks through a crowd of people with a bright smile as she greets her people. She shakes hands, takes pictures, kisses babies, and gives hope to everyone there. She purposely made today sunny and warm when the forecast predicted grey clouds and strong winds. Iqadi wanted to greet as many people as she can with no problems, and she wore her best jumpsuit.

Iqadi turns around and gives her new husband, Prince Consort Imanu, a reassuring nod before returning her gaze up ahead. He follows in her footsteps, mimicking her gestures towards the people of Wakanda. _Because everyone wants to meet there new prince. _When his eyes leave Iqadi's, his genuine smile falters for a second, before returning his fake one.

It's not that he didn't want to be here; he's super shy and uncomfortable with everyone wanting his attention at once. But he keeps the act up because that's what his wife wants (she never told him that directly, but he guessed). _Wife_. It's still strange to call Princess Iqadi, his princess, as his wife.

And his training told him the same thing: _never show a thing you feel inside_.

Nobody wants to see a panicking prince or tell the King, Queen, or his _wife_ that their new joining heir is incompetent. _He already thinks that about himself. _But that doesn't stop him from wanting to shrivel and hide in the depths of the vibranium mines. _Just like old times!_

Not so long ago, nobody knew who he was. Now, everyone knows his name. It was weird for him to live in a palace, a country, with people who treat him as if he's superior to them because he now is. He never felt truly alone but this is a lot for him to get used to. He can never let people know _how he feels inside_. The moment Iqadi proposed to him, he was being served and greeted with a title. He's never truly alone, at least in proximity. There was always going to be someone in the room with him or nearby.

"Imanu," Iqadi says. She's now close by him, holding his hand with both of hers. Her voice is soft and the crowds are loud so only she can hear him. "Are you okay?"

Imanu nods, kissing her cheek to hide his face in her hair for a second. That gesture gets the people cheering.

"Never better," he says, holding her hands tighter.

She looks at him skeptically before returning to embrace people. He keeps his hand linked with hers as she waves ahead with her free one. Imanu looks down and sees her rings close to his.

Even talking to Iqadi was awkward at first, for both of them. They have a love for each other but they're still strangers wearing matching wedding rings.

* * *

** Ahh! I love this chapter. I can't wait to write their love story's developments.**

**_Iqadi's Counterparts_**** \- Chapters 4, 18-20, 21 (The Suitors / The Contingency Plan / The Delirium / The Anticipation / My Choice)**


	11. Year One: Deep Underground

**Hello 2020, let's start the year off the same way we ended 2019. In Wakanda.**

**The reason there will be a lot of Iqadi and Imanu parts and chapters is because they're both going through the same changes as the ****_Academy_**** group.**

* * *

Year One: Deep Underground

_Wakanda's Vibranium Mines - 8:20 AM_

If there was one thing Iqadi would change about herself, it was her claustrophobia. She didn't understand where it came from aside from genetics. Her mother got hers from a traumatic childhood event. Iqadi just inherited hers.

Iqadi would say she won the genetic lottery except for that trait. Although it's good to have fear because it makes her more human, it weakens her. She's supposed to be a powerful leader yet she crumbles when there are no windows in a given space. _Nobody wants that in a queen._

But it's a work in progress.

Today, she's risking an outburst to go into the vibranium mines. Back when she was selecting a husband, Imanu told her that he was a child worker because his family desperately needed the money. She didn't know the mines did that and there was no way her parents knew because they would never allow such a thing (especially since she would've been Imanu's age at the time). Iqadi had to make sure that it wasn't in practice anymore.

If she dealt with it, it would be less of a commotion. _Her father would go ballistic on everyone._

Iqadi could never get mad at Imanu's parents for putting him here. She respects a family willing to do anything to remain sustaining. They're her in-laws and she understands what they went through. Now, they're better. Imanu's little sister is now in a better school and has nicer clothes while his parents don't have to stress about work.

Iqadi put on a lab coat with goggles on to get a look at workers as she walks across observation decks. Everyone seems like they were at a proper age. The youngest here was likely her age and they'd be an intern or assistant at most, not a legitimate labourer. _Maybe they stopped when Imanu was chosen? _Even a tiny sliver of knowledge feels like discovering something rare and precious.

_She can't see the sun from here_. Her heart races as she tries to calm down. Her body trembles with every step she takes and she tries to distract herself. _There's another adult worker. There's a scientist. _She can feel her eyes wanting to turn opaque and make a storm but she balls her hands into fists to hold herself together.

_This is how Imanu feels in every formal situation he's in. Think about that. Now she's in his environment about to lose her mind._ It's important not to panic. When alarmed, she'll stop evaluating information mindfully and start reacting physically. If she lost control of herself in here, the mines would explode and Wakanda would be exterminated. Possibly the world.

Split-second decisions are rooted in knowledge. She can act fast and be impulsive because she knows what she's doing. And she'll know what she's doing if she has the patience to let herself learn. _Patience is never fun but it's good for her._

That was the thing about the world: it wasn't that things were harder than she thought they'd be, it was that they were hard in ways she didn't expect. It's ugly and brutal. Hard work doesn't always assure positive outcomes.

Imanu didn't have a choice to be brave because nobody ever has a choice. He had to learn to survive in here which makes gave her a new light on him. The child who has to learn to do whatever it takes for his family is smarter than the child who was given everything.

-o-

_Wakanda's Palace - 10:09 AM_

Iqadi walks out of her bedroom after taking a short shower from the mines. Not only was she rinsing out any residual dust and dirt, but she wanted to scrub away any memories of almost losing control in there. She walks down the hallways, breathing heavily and quickly. _Everything is fine down there. It fixed itself. She's fine from down there. She fixed herself._

"Iqadi! Iqadi!"

Iqadi turns around at the sound of a child screaming for her. She turns around and sees Kili, her sister-in-law, running up to her excitedly. Once she's in front of her, she bounces on her toes, holding Iqadi's arm.

"Hello, Kili," Iqadi greets. "What are you up to?"

"Come draw with me," she says.

Before Iqadi could agree, Kili's already dragging her. Iqadi willingly follows because she adores Kili. She, like Imanu's parents, brings a new joy into the palace. _They're rays of sunshine._ Most people here are serious around Iqadi and her parents because they're in charge. Imanu's family took a while to adjust and, although they don't live in the palace (they live in a new house nearby), they warmed up to Iqadi and her parents. Kili did so quicker than her parents. Imanu may still be working on it but he has more pressure on his shoulders. _And she put it there when she asked him for his hand in marriage._

Kili takes Iqadi to one of the lounge rooms. On the centre table, there are craft supplies sprawled out and a blank sheet of paper. Kili sits at the head at the table, crossing her legs in her seat and Iqadi sits next to her.

"What are you drawing?" Iqadi asks.

Kili shrugs. "I don't know yet. I was thinking of a castle."

Iqadi lights up with surprise. "Why a castle?"

"Because now I know what one looks like on the inside."

Iqadi bites down on her lips and puts a hand on Kili's shoulder. Kili doesn't notice until Iqadi interrupts her drawing to hug her. _This is the closest she gets to a little sister and she loves it._ Kili screeches a little before maneuvering her arms through Iqadi's embrace.

"You're forgetting the bailey," Iqadi says, pointing to the empty space beside Kili's drawing.

Kili shrugs. "That's not in my word bank."

Iqadi exhales a small laugh as she grabs another pencil and starts sketching the bailey as Kili works on the front gate. As the two of them continue sketching, Imanu walks in. Kili doesn't acknowledge him but Iqadi smiles.

He walks over and stands beside Iqadi, ruffling Kili's hair. That's when she notices and frowns. Iqadi laughs a little, looking up at him. He bends down and gives her a quick peck before helping out with the drawing.

Iqadi watches him reach for a pencil and start adding in. She could kiss him again and again. The more they kiss, the more they'll get used to it.

-o-

"Can I ask you something?" Iqadi asks as Imanu lies on their bed.

Imanu looks up at Iqadi who stands by her side of the bed. "Anything."

Iqadi sits on her side of the bed, crossing her legs as she faces him. "Were there any other kids with you when you were in the mines?"

Imanu sits up, back straight against the bedframe. He sees Iqadi's concern on her face and he exhales. A part of him regrets telling her that part of his past because she's guilty of not knowing about it for years. It was happening in the foundation of her home, her country. _But if he never told her, would he be here right now?_

"A few," he whispers back.

"I went down to the mines earlier," Iqadi tells him.

"But you're claustrophobic -"

"I kept myself together for as long as I could."

Imanu nods. "So, what'd you see?"

"I could never picture a child down there. I didn't see any. Maybe they stopped or maybe they weren't there, but still."

"Iqadi, don't worry about it." Imanu puts a hand on her arm, rubbing it up and down.

"I have to worry about it."

"Iqadi -"

"Imanu -"

They silenced each other, staring into each other's eyes. They're not sure if this is a fight. If it is, it'll be the first in their marriage. Before, there was nothing for them to argue about because they were amicably in love. Now, they were getting to know each other's weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Neither of them were used to that.

Change is so painfully normal. It's the most basic of all tragedies and, although they know that, it doesn't make it hurt less.

"I've never seen you fight," Iqadi mutters. "Not in a debate but a physical one. Like combat."

"That's because I'm not stupid enough to fight," Imanu responds.

"Are you calling me stupid?"

Imanu shakes his head. "Not at all. You have training and I don't like fighting. Even if you don't try, you could still destroy me."

"I'm not going to fight you." Iqadi eyes him before lying on her side. "It will get easier."

His hand rests on her shoulder and his thumb rubs a circle. "Royal life or marriage?"

Iqadi remains silence because she isn't sure. _She grew up in royalty and it's even getting harder for her. _She's not looking at him so she's unsure of his current facial expression. Iqadi isn't afraid to fall in love, but she's being afraid of being the only one who falls.

* * *

** Things get better for them, I promise.**


	12. Year One: Foreplay

**I've been in school for a day and a half, and I'm already tired. I'm at my university's health science/nursing building and I'm not even in those programs. I'm out of it.**

**I think I've said this for almost every chapter so far, but I'm excited about this one.**

* * *

Year One: Foreplay

_The Boiler Room - 00:38 AM_

Smooth dancing music fills the background as James approaches Angela with a refill of her drink. She puts it to the side as she bends over to take her next shot at pool. She strikes the cue and the balls soar across the table, some stripes sinking in.

"Nice," James compliments as Angela sips her drink.

"Before you take your turn, can we talk about something?" Angela asks.

James nods, taking the stick from her. "What about?"

"Our relationship."

James almost drops the stick and he freezes. He finishes his cup and feels a panic rising inside him. _Was Angela going to break up with him?_ It made sense. They're in college and she has more options. _Maybe better options, but don't tell his ego he thought that. _It's not like he can do any better.

James clears his throat. "Don't break up with me. I love you."

Angela gives him a face, taking a moment to process what he said. _He sounded desperate and she's looking at him like a moron_. She starts shaking her head and holding his hand to reassure him.

"No," she says, wondering why he thought the opposite. "James, I wanted to know if you were ready to take the next step."

He's more shocked that she asked that than a possible breakup. James replays that last part in his head. _Next step. _

"Are you talking about -?" He asks, unsure how to phrase it. "_That_ next step."

Angela nods, smiling excitedly as she holds his arm. "I've been thinking about it. We're in college now and I love you. I want to share this with you. That is, if you want the same."

_Oh my god, this was really about to happen. _James starts nodding and grins so giddily that he hugs her. Angela was surprised by the hug but wraps her arms around him.

"Okay," James says, taking a breath. "Let's do this. You mean now?"

Angela hesitates. "Do you _want_ to do it now?"

James pauses. "No, but not because I don't want to. I have to think some things over. I will call you."

He gives her a quick kiss before turning on his heel and running out. Angela watches him go but smiles to herself.

-o-

_Edison Residence - 1:42 AM_

For the first time in forever, Daniel feels intellectually challenged and stimulated. His textbooks are interesting and he's learning new information. Lectures were engaging and thought-provoking. _He should've come to college earlier_. _What did he learn in high school besides which bathrooms not to use?_ As he turns the page, James bursts into their dorm, panting heavily.

"Dude!" James exclaims, leaning against their door to close it. "Angela wants to engage in thermodynamics."

Daniel blinks. "What?"

"Hot action."

Daniel thinks for a moment before understanding. He clears his throat. " … wow. You good for it?"

James walks over and takes a seat at his desk which is next to Daniel's. "I mean, I guess. With Angela, I have enough. I don't need more or less because she's perfect. And I'd be lying if I say that I've never thought about it because I have on many occasions. I'm used to those concepts being up in my head and not out on the table. Okay, this will be a stupid question but not the dumbest I've asked."

"What?"

"How do you _really_ perform thermodynamics?"

-o-

_Concrete Beach - 2:06 AM_

Across campus, Xavier and Orchid sit close together at the bar. She's sitting on a bar stool, looking at her phone. Her eyes squint at the intense brightness of the screen that she had to set in the dark environment. Her knees point at Xavier whose back leans against the counter. He watches his classmates dance around, enjoying themselves. Drinks are being taken and people are screaming. _It's a normal Tuesday night here at SHIELD Academy_.

"The benefit of living on a farm is that you never saw your neighbours," Orchid tells Xavier. "They're too far away. But sometimes they did nice things for you like plow your field."

"Wouldn't you have to plow their field in return?" Xavier questions.

Orchid nods. "Southern hospitality, baby." She shows him her phone. "What do you think about him?"

Xavier takes her phone and lowers the brightness a bit. He sees a boy on her phone via one of many dating apps he doesn't know the name of. He has no thoughts about the character in question because, well, _what was there to say?_ He agreed to help Orchid find a man but he had no idea what he was doing.

Xavier looks at the guy on the screen and he looks familiar. It could be someone in one of his class on his floor back in residence. Even the name wasn't ringing any bells. The last name more because maybe he heard a prof yell it out. _It never occurred to Xavier that he barely knew people's first names. All he got were his friends, Ashton, and Orchid. _

"He looks lame," Orchid says, taking her phone back and swiping away. "Why can't it be easy for me?"

Xavier shrugs. "You know, when my girl and I were together, other girls wanted me even more."

Orchid scoffs a little. "That's because girls assume that a taken man is amazing. Men are creeps, or so that's how they teach us growing up. It also doesn't help that you're _you_. Girls in my dorm are thirsting _so hard_ for you, it's insane. Your sister has to cover her ears whenever she walks by because they say some _things. _I can't imagine what it must've been like for you in high school."

Xavier modestly shrugs. He had no idea that girls here were looking at him _mostly because he wasn't looking back. _It wasn't new for him because, as he said, this happened when he was with Britney. People are so sincere in their affection for him; they can all celebrate Xavier because he's nice, and he makes everyone feel comfortable and good. Even when he rejects them, he does it so politely that they can't get mad.

"Maybe if we dance, we'll get a better look around," Orchid suggests, putting her phone in her back pocket.

"I can't dance," Xavier says.

Orchid looks at him in disbelief. "But you did football. That's like a choreographed routine!"

He has never been so offended_. _"It's not dancing."

"Fine. I guess your genes had to sacrifice something for that pretty face."

She smiles at him as she leaps off her bar stool. Leaving him at the bar, she starts grooving into the crowd. Xavier is about to stay where he is but begrudgingly walks in. He has no rhythm but nobody minds because _it's Xavier Rogers. He will get someone grinding on him. For sure._

Orchid sees him and almost laughs at him just standing there. "You didn't have to come after me."

"Yes, I did," Xavier says, stepping to the side when a girl gets too close for his comfort. "You're far too inexperienced to find love in a hostile environment without me."

Orchid couldn't argue with that. "Your gentleman mannerisms were worth not being able to dance."

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 2:43 AM_

After getting ready for bed, Angela sits on her bunk and isn't surprised to see any calls or messages from James. He almost freaked out when she asked him about having sex for the first time. Honestly, if he asked her, she would've reacted the same. She spent so many nights thinking about it before she decided to get it out there for James and see what would happen next.

Now her body's shaking at the idea of going to that level with him one day. _She loves him. He loves her. _It will be great. _Will it? Was she ready for this?_

Her mother warned her about this along with _having a boyfriend in college_. After her parents found out that Xavier lost his virginity after graduation, they expected her to be next. _That wasn't why she was thinking about it, though._

It's not that she wanted to get over it. She wanted to experience it with James.

She snaps back to reality when her phone rings. Checking the screen, she sees that it's Emily _because she texted her the moment James left The Boiler Room._

_Emily: How goes it there at SHIELD Academy? Isn't it like 3 AM?_

"I don't know," Angela responds. "I asked James if he wanted to have sex and he said yes but had to think something over."

The other end is silent. Angela checks to make sure that the call didn't end. When she holds the phone to her ear, she almost drops it due to Emily's screaming.

_Emily: This is big news! And good for him for thinking because you have to do the same._

"I'm aware," Angela responds.

_Emily: Not that stuff. Look, I know you're hot but fix yourself down there._

Angela furrows her brows. "You're not going to give me any body positivity?"

_Emily: Fine._

Emily clears her throat and Angela prepares herself for the wisdom.

_Emily: Forget any issues you may have had about your body. If you reach the point of getting naked and making love, the other person doesn't care about your perceived flaws. They just want to be with you._

Angela is taken aback by those words. "That was beautiful."

_Emily: But trust me and get waxed everywhere. It makes the experience better._

"You have a point." She makes a mental note to start researching places after this call.

_Emily: And don't be nervous. It's your first time but it's way less of a big deal than you realized once you finish. Then when you get better at it and, speaking from experience, it's way more fun._

Angela nods, seeing how that all makes sense. Matchmaker Emily knew her stuff even when she wasn't matching people. Then her thoughts focus on something else and she almost drops her phone. _How did she completely skip over that part? _The call isn't ending until that's addressed.

"Oh my god!" Angela exclaims. "When did you and Daniel -?"

-o-

Merida plods up the stairway into her dorm's hallway. _Fuck the couple who decided to fuck in the elevator. Those nasty classmates couldn't hold it in until they reached a room? _In a few steps, Merida will be the most relieved. She'll get to peel off her cadet training uniform from her skin and change into her own clothes. _Muscles she didn't even know she had hurt. _She wants to drop on her bed like a hung man, mentally, spiritually, and physically depleted.

Before she searches her pockets for her room key, she sees Xavier at the end of her hallway. She pauses, watching. He's dropping someone off at their dorm. And they look friendly with each other. _Was her fatigue making her hallucinate? _No. It can't be. _But could it?_

Once the door closes and Xavier starts leaving, Merida clears her throat to get his attention. Xavier faces her and starts walking her way.

"Where were you?" Xavier asks.

"I'm tired," Merida responds.

"From partying?"

"No."

"Then that's sad."

Merida laughs because it's true. "You move on quickly."

Xavier turns around, looking back at the girl's dorm. "Not funny. I'm helping her out."

"With what?"

"None of your business."

Merida puts her hands up. _She respects his business because she'll find out in other ways. Maybe she'll even help out. _"I'm telling Britney."

Xavier smiles a little. "While you're at it, tell her I say hi."


	13. Year One: Dead of September

**I was so confused earlier because I am so far ahead in writing these chapters. I knew this chapter took place in September but I was so lost because I'm currently writing chapters in November.**

**The title of this chapter is a play on the expression _"dead of winter"_ which means nothing happens. Which is true since this chapter is a little filler.**

* * *

Year One: Dead of September

_Atlantic Residence - 11:05 AM_

It's Saturday morning and there's nothing to do.

Merida sits crossed-legged on the top bunk that has a bird's-eye view of the room. She glances at her backpack on the floor and thinks about the assigned readings she has to complete by Monday. _Does she really have to read that crap? Maybe later._ Beside her is a pile of lead pencils sharpened to the tip.

Merida twirls one in her hand as she looks at the dartboard in front of her. Although she has prohibited darts hidden in a tampon box, she told the agent who performed the dorm inspections that she uses sharp pencils as her darts. Now that she has nothing to do on a Saturday, she will test that theory. Besides, it will help her if she one day has to prove her lie as the truth.

She touches the charms on her necklace, feeling the arrow and Black Widow insignia between her fingertips. _If this works, she will blow her father's mind. _Merida whips the pencil like a dart and isn't surprised that she hit the target, but that it made it to the target.

Before she continues playing darts with herself, she grabs her phone from her pillow and opens her family's group chat.

-o-

_Campus Gym - 12:20 PM_

They say that the later weeks of training is better but no. Xavier's body is still in pain from the first week but he's in better condition than his classmates who trained in military schools. Although he did football and had his father's super-soldier serum in his blood, his body took a minute to adjust to the new regimen.

Now, he would say that he's fine. He just needed to walk it off.

With his headphones in, he spent his morning in the Academy's common gym. Operations had a few of their own, but this one was more peaceful. He actually had no idea how long he was in here but doesn't know the current time and was aware that he was awake before the sun. Now it's in the middle of the sky. It's definitely been a few hours.

He doesn't look up from his set until he notices Angela in front of him. She's fresh in a tank and capri leggings with running shoes.

"Hey," Angela greets.

Xavier takes out his headphones. "Sup."

They smile at each other for a moment. When people come into the world with another person, they're as much a part of them as their heartbeat. Maybe it's a twin thing because he's never felt truly alone in anything.

Angela pokes his face. "Are you growing stubble?"

Xavier feels his face. "I'm becoming lazy."

"Also known as you didn't shave this one morning."

"You know me so well."

Angela smiles as Xavier returns the weights to their display. He wipes his face with his shirt and sees Angela looking at him with crossed arms and furrowed brows. Xavier drops his shirt and opens his arms to ask _what_ with his motions.

"Girls are staring," Angela says.

"Are they?"

Xavier looks around and notices people suddenly looking down or going on their phone. _There are more girls in here now that he's looking. _Angela sighs beside him with a smile. She knows that Xavier isn't being cocky because he was always that oblivious. She pats his shoulder.

Xavier turns to her. "You know, I thought that the _adrenaline fuels love_ theory was bullshit, but then I remembered -"

"Mom and Dad got engaged and married on two different missions in the span of a week?" Angela finishes.

"Yup."

"Aw, are you going to find and marry a new girl in a week?"

"_Definitely_." He throws his used towel over her head and she screams.

-o-

_Darwin Library - 13:35 PM_

Tables, study desks, and group rooms are packed. Sci-Tech students are glued to their screens and books as they work on their express PhDs. Although school was only a month in, they had seven months left to prove their thesis, take their comprehension test, and present it to the board. Nobody was finished, yet. Word of mouth revealed that nobody was even _close_ to typing their conclusions. Some even changed their research direction and are panicking somewhere on campus. _May science be with them_.

"Hear me out," James whispers. He sits across from Daniel with his laptop open and gets his friend's attention by waving his hand in his face. "I did some research. Loving touches are good for our health. Kissing your partner can often lower cholesterol and affectionate touching can reduce the production of stress hormones and have healing properties."

Daniel isn't surprised that James is looking into that instead. On James's prioritization list, it's to sleep with his girlfriend for the first time and … that was it. Classes and training weren't even on the same line as his list. _James Pym was something else_ and Daniel was grateful for that because it puts his mind back in reality.

But, sometimes, James had to get his head straightened. Daniel can't blame him, though. James has his girlfriend here and this is a big time for them. If Emily was here, she'd either be sitting next to him, peering over his shoulder and proofreading his research or double-checking his math. Or, more likely, she would join James in whatever the hell he was looking up. _Likely the latter. _

" … and how much research did you put in your dissertation?" Daniel asks.

"My _what_?"

Daniel isn't sure if James is joking. He hopes that he is but wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't. "Nevermind."

James closes his laptop. "Look, we don't always have to study. I partied all the time in high school and I got accepted to other colleges. Going out there will help you get through here."

"True, but if we don't finish a dissertation by the end of the year, we can't continue here."

"We have seven months."

"To be tested, finish, prove it, and argue it."

"Sounds like way more time."

"You haven't even started."

"Good point, also, why did you never tell me you and Emily did it already?!"

Daniel's face reddens as people glance over, glaring. Daniel mutters apologies as James grins. Nobody heard what they were saying because all they registered was noise. _Out of all the things for James to ask in here_ … he isn't surprised.

"Keep your voice down!" Daniel whispers angrily although he isn't that mad at James.

James nods, still grinning. "Like you went down on her?"

Daniel should've seen that coming. He can't begin to imagine how red his face is but James's desire to burst out laughing is telling. _He's definitely a tomato. He's never eating one again. _

"Yes," Daniel mutters and James congratulates him.


	14. Year One: The Goddess of Sci-Tech

**I know it says _slow updates_ in the synopsis, but I love this chapter.**

**If you couldn't already guess, I miss my matriarch, Emily Stark.**

* * *

Year One: The Goddess of Sci-Tech

_"__Now graduated from high school and taking a gap year, Emily Stark is changing the world's image of billionaire children. People used to think they were all spoiled airheads who thrived on nepotism, private jets, and their parents' bank accounts. But Stark was different from the start. She attended public school, showed a genuine interest in her family's business and charities, advocated for technological and educational advances throughout the world, and has one of the highest IQs for people her age. All this while rocking high heels and a fresh coat of lipstick._

_Even if she didn't wear the Stark name, she would still be able to climb up to where she is now."_

-o-

_Sci-Tech Laboratory - 12:05 PM_

"Thank god Emily Stark's on a gap year," a student says. "She will be all over the world which means more press and paparazzi photos for us."

Walking behind them, Daniel tries not to eavesdrop but he couldn't help himself. After a few weeks of living at Edison Residence, he knew that some of his neighbours fancied his fiancée. Then he realized that a lot of them had more of a sheer obsession over her. It's like a celebrity crush or a worshipping. Nothing too concerning. _Or so he thinks._

Emily Stark is considered a goddess within Sci-Tech's walls because she's beyond intelligent and equally beautiful. When she was younger, she made rare appearances for the public eye. Mostly because she would hang out with him and their friends. People knew she was like her parents but she wasn't attracting headlines because she wasn't out there. And if she wasn't seen, nobody knew what they wanted to read.

Now, she's taking a gap year. _He wishes he could do the same but they might never go back to school. _Emily's going to see the world with some billionaire associates she knows from her parents. Not only will she get to know the cities she'll go to school, but she's starting to follow in her parents' footsteps. _Aren't they all? _But she will be out more which means more eyes will be on her.

Hell, it's only been a few months and she was already a daily headliner. Whether she was coming out of a meeting with her parents or promenading through the streets in her best outfit with some rich friends, she was smiling for the cameras.

"This article calls Emily Stark _a bomb with a brain_!" Someone exclaims, showing their phone over to show the article. _"The most dangerous of them all_."

Daniel pauses as those classmates run off with glee at the article. He takes a minute to lean against the wall and catch his breath although he isn't tired. _Calling Emily a bomb with a brain_. Bad choice of words, in his opinion. But he couldn't argue that a beautiful woman is a beautiful woman, but a beautiful woman with a brain is lethal. It's just that out of the two of them, he's the real bomb with the brain and truly the most dangerous.

He's seen the articles involving other billionaire kids. Over-shopping, scandals with them and/or their parents, arrests, etc. Daniel knows Emily's too smart to get associated with those, but he can't be certain. He's confined to campus property and she's got the planet.

"The things I'd do to Emily Stark…" Someone laughs with his friends.

_Oh god … he's about to lose it. _Daniel's about to run back to his dorm and hide there until tomorrow although there will be another headline to draw attention. It's not that he doesn't want to be here, but he feels uncomfortable with hearing Emily's name in that context.

"Put a condom on those thoughts!" James yells at them. _Because that was definitely on their minds. _

Those guys look at James with weird faces before minding their business.

James narrows his eyes and watches them go.

And the Emily Stark craze isn't only limited to the boys of Sci-Tech. The girls spoke about her as well.

"Stark was caught saying, _money is subjective_," a girl reads from their phone. "Easy for her to say. She can afford everything."

James rolls his sleeves but Daniel stops him. People always say that Emily looks good because she can afford anything but James and Daniel know that's not _completely _true. Emily has a style that money can't buy. Still, Daniel has to stop James. He wouldn't hit the girl but he would disconnect her from the wifi from his phone. _He has that power_.

"Because money is subjective…" James mutters before looking at Daniel. His friend looks like he's about to have a panic attack. "Are you okay? Do we need to skip class because I could live without another explanation on the molecular processes of life."

"I'm good," Daniel responds, leaning over to catch his breath.

"You don't look good."

Daniel turns his head up and fixes his glasses. He wasn't good but wouldn't tell James. _Because James has to attend class or else it will become a bad habit. _What keeps Daniel going is that he and Emily promised to keep their engagement a secret. At first, it was to avoid the press following him and stalking her about it. Now, he's keeping it from people here for obvious reasons. _No need to have targets on his back._

He's not used to this perspective of Emily because he's known her as the girl who sat next to him in his classes. His best friend. His first kiss. His first love. His _fiancée_. People at their school didn't care that she was this _billionaire child_ because they saw her everyday and she didn't act like one.

"They would love you as well," James says optimistically. _He knows that's not likely to be true_.

"They'll skin me alive," Daniel responds. He takes a quick breath and starts heading over to the laboratory.

"They won't. The worst they'll do is come after you."

Daniel glares at him although James is right. Most of the boys were in love with the goddess so finding out that she was engaged to one of their own would put him at the stake.

"But I'll protect you," James reassures, patting Daniel's shoulder.

"She's my fiancée," Daniel whispers to James. He almost had to mouth the words because he became paranoid that someone was eavesdropping.

"Don't stress," James says. "Nobody in this program knows that except me."

"What if our floor will think that I'm another fanatic?"

"You are."

Daniel gives him a face. James was trying but not being helpful. _Although the fanatic alibi would save him if worse comes to worst. _He hopes it won't come to that point.

"You just get the pleasure of sleeping with her," James adds as he enters their lab.

Daniel ignores him and his stupid smile as he follows, taking his seat next to him.

-o-

During the lesson, Daniel hears the phone of the person across from him vibrate. The phone is on the lab table between them and Daniel automatically looks that way to see what it is (especially since the person disregards it without turning their phone off). He ignores the notification but can make out the wallpaper behind it.

It's a magazine cover with Emily that came out a few weeks ago. She's smiling while walking down the streets of Italy, wearing a basic white tee and dark high-wasted jeans with a coral blazer and heels. Her hair is left natural, following the wind, and big sunglasses cover her eyes. Emily smiles in the photo with a small wave right at the camera and Daniel almost waves back. _God, he misses her. _He can see her engagement ring that she purposely wore on her other hand to avoid the speculation and he bites down on his lips to avoid smiling. _He loves her so much. _

The phone turns off and Daniel refocuses his attention on the professor who looks unamused.

"Really?" The professor questions rhetorically. "Nobody has an answer? Not even a guess?"

Daniel looks away. Maybe if he didn't get distracted, he would've been able to answer. Only Emily could take his attention away like that. James probably could've answered if he was paying attention. But Daniel has to give him credit for showing up.

Their professor sighs. " … I was _this_ close to having Emily Stark in my class."

The class suddenly goes silent. Eyes look up from screens, pens drop to the floor, James's smile grows, Daniel sinks in his seat. The poor professor looks confused. _Why is everyone suddenly alert? Little did they know..._

"Wait for it…" James mutters excitedly, leaning into Daniel.

"Why…" Daniel groans. _Out of all days for this to happen._

"Emily Stark almost came to The Academy?!" Everyone screams.

James roars laughter at the chaos and Daniel lies on his lab table. As much as Daniel would love for Emily to visit campus, maybe she should go back to New York and he'll make the drive. Two hours is nothing. _It's worth it._

And maybe he'll skip the rest of the day and stay in his dorm.

* * *

** Before you ask, Emily Stark will be showing up in this story at some point.**


	15. Year One: Word of Mouth

**To answer a guest review, Emily and Daniel get married in _Project: New Generation_. Their wedding will be at the end of the next arc (somewhere past chapter 131).**

**I chose to upload this on a Monday because of the ending. And because my next few weeks are so hectic so who knows when I'll update again.**

* * *

Year One: Word of Mouth

_Operations' Training Room B - 9:24 AM_

Everyone's spread out within the training room doing warm-ups on the spot before today's drills. Merida finishes her prep early and weaves through the jumping jacks and lunges to find James by the wall. He's wearing his proper training uniform, for once, but is sitting against the wall.

He wasn't even doing a wall-sit as a warm-up. James was sitting on the floor against the wall. Merida has to admit that it's a step-up from the sweater vest. At that rate, he might be doing a push-up by graduation. _Might_. Merida didn't have that much faith in him.

Merida stands right in front of him. "I think Xavier's seeing someone in our class."

James gives her a disbelieving face as he takes out his airpods. "Are you hungover?"

"I'm serious."

"Seriously hungover?"

She glares at him when he laughs. "I'll fucking kill you. Help me figure out who it is."

"Wondering if our sorceress has competition?"

"More like wondering who could make a heartbroken-Xavier move on right away. Admit it, you're curious as well."

"I am now." He holds out his hands for her. "Help me up."

"No."

James mimics her voice and facial expressions as he uses the wall to get up. _And he's already tired_. Merida can't wait to watch him die on the track. It'll make being in Weight Class B worth it.

"That's my warm-up for the day," James says.

"She's a few doors down from me in res," Merida informs, ignoring James' comments about his personal fitness. She couldn't care less about that.

"You could've knocked on her door."

"I don't knock. That's why I came to you."

James scoffs. "As if I knock." He loudly clears his throat. "Xavier Rogers, _am I right_?!"

To their surprise, but not really after thinking it through, every girl present swoons. Even some guys whistle. Merida and James wear blank faces because that was useless. It may have worsened their hunt for this girl. They knew Xavier was a _model boy_, but it's only been a month in this school and everyone was already aware of him. And he did almost nothing to get that attention! _Some things from high school will never change_. They blame that timeless essence about him.

"That narrows it down…" Merida mutters sarcastically.

"Are y'all looking for me?"

They turn to the side and see a blonde girl with a deep Southern accent beside them. Merida tilts her head, processing the accent and trying to match it with the face she barely saw when Xavier dropped her off at her dorm. _This had to be the girl if she approached them. Does Xavier have a thing for cowgirls now?_ James, on the other hand, grins wildly.

"Yee-haw," James greets although that wasn't a greeting phrase.

Merida groans. "Pади всего святого..."

Before they could talk to her, their professor opens the door leading to the outside track and screams at them to start their laps. Merida tries to piece together a strategy but her classmates whip past her to start their run and the Southern girl joins them.

"She's getting away!" Merida screams at James.

She turns to face James but he's no longer beside him. _There was no way he started his laps. _But Merida sees him crouched on the ground, pretending to tie his shoe. There's no way it was untied because he wasn't doing any physical activity.

Merida rolls her eyes. She should've expected that.

"Asshole," Merida says before knocking him over.

She laughs as she starts running. Once Merida makes it outside, the chill hits her and she sprints through her classmates. She weaves from the inner lane to the outer to try and find the farm girl. Merida looks to the side and sees her already on the other side of the turn. Cursing to herself, Merida tries to pick up speed and catch up.

But she never does.

-o-

_Operations' Lecture Hall - 14:30 PM_

If anyone asks, James ran the laps. If anyone _really_ asks, he was hiding underneath the outdoor bleachers.

James is glad that his next Operations class is a lecture on firearms because he doesn't want to do physical activity anymore. _As if he was even doing it in his training class. _And this is a class with his girlfriend and not someone who wants him dead. _So that's a perk. _

James tries to sneak up on Angela from behind but she catches him. However, she still smiles at the effort. Standing close and parallel to him, she starts giving him small kisses as their classmates file in and take their seats.

"Is Xavier seeing someone?" James whispers to her.

Angela pauses, pulling back. _Not the weirdest thing he's said during a moment like this, but still a mood-killer._ "Why would he?"

James pulls her in closer by the waist. "Because Merida told me that she saw him dropping off a girl a few doors down from your dorm. And the girl didn't deny it when she approached us this morning. Granted, she also didn't admit it. But we had a lead and she was the lead in the laps so we thought we'd talk to her while running. Actually, that didn't happen because Merida didn't run fast enough."

Angela blinks, trying to take all that in. There was too much new information in that one splurge and she wanted to get back to kissing James before their professor starts talking about different glocks.

"How dare Merida tell you before me," Angela states. _Forget kissing him now._

James laughs as he kisses her. This is the girl he loves and _holy crap he will lose his virginity to her sometime soon. _

"Get a room!" Someone from the back yells at them. _It's like they know. _

James looks over. "Is yours available?"

Angela's cheeks redden. That was embarrassing because of their future plans. She loves her boyfriend but there are moments when she wants to square up with him. _Like now because their professor is staring at them. _Angela grabs James's arm and drags him to some seats.

Angela pulls James close when they sit down. "I see Xavier in my next class."

-o-

_Operations' Lecture Hall - 17:19 PM_

Angela stops at the entrance of her next class. She stands to the side and looks at the elevating rows to see if Xavier's already here, even glancing at the people coming in to see if he's one of _them. He wouldn't dare skip this class, would he?_ Actually, he might if he had a hunch that his friends would interrogate him. She remembers from high school how Xavier skipped school for days when Britney disappeared. Everyone wanted information from him and he didn't want to share, not even with her. _His twin._

But when Merida walks in, Angela follows her instead.

"You could've told me," Angela says as she and Merida start climbing the steps to the back row.

"I didn't want you to worry," Merida says. _Excuses._

"Yeah, but I know how to knock."

"Nobody likes it when you knock."

Angela rolls her eyes as she and Merida enter a row. Before she sits down, she sees Xavier enter the class with Ashton. Angela grabs her bag and cuts through her classmates. The moment Xavier sits down, Angela leaps into the only seat next to him.

"Sorry about that," Angela tells Ashton.

"No worries," Ashton says, heading towards the back.

Xavier looks at his sister. "I thought you wanted me to make new friends. I'm happy to report that I have two new ones, one of which you sent away."

"I heard from James who heard from Merida that you're seeing someone," Angela whispers.

Xavier gasps that sounds sarcastic. "_Am I?_"

"That's what I'm asking."

Xavier realizes she's serious and shakes his head. "I'm not seeing anyone."

"I thought so." Angela sighs. "I know how you still feel about Britney."

Xavier looks away from her, nodding. _Just because a love ends doesn't mean it wasn't real._ "Don't remind me."

"I'm sorry." She puts a hand on his arm. "They're coming back. It's only been a few months."

At the back of the room, Merida looks up and sees Xavier's roommate approaching her. He points to the empty seat next to her although he's already putting his bag on the ground beside it. Merida nods and Ashton takes a seat._ She would've given him the seat regardless so that no other weirdo sits with her._

Merida looks at him. "What's up, Xavier's roommate?"

"Ashton," he corrects.

"Same thing."

Ashton doesn't bother correcting her. "It's fine. I don't know your name either, _Angela's roommate_. Look, I was trying to catch up to you during our class's run this morning."

"Merida. Sorry for going too fast, I was chasing someone."

"Orchid."

Merida raises a brow. "I wasn't chasing a flower."

"That's her name."

Merida pauses, needing to process Ashton's words. _Maybe she should've said the seat was taken._

"Blonde southerner," he clarifies.

Merida nods, having flashbacks to James's _yeehaw_. "Is she seeing Xavier?"

Ashton laughs a little. "No. I had a double date, brought him along, and she was his date. They're friends now. He's helping her find someone."

Merida doesn't process that information. "That's weirder than her name." She shakes her head. "You know what? I'm fucking tired of this bullshit week. I just want hell to consume me in my sleep."

Ashton pauses. " … it's only Monday."

" … whatever. If I pass out during this boring lecture, don't wake me because I need a nap."


	16. Year One: Shotgun!

**So I'm pretty sure I've had the plague for the past few days. That's not a joke I should make with recent events but oh well. I've been doing better but let's see if this will rejuvenate me.**

* * *

Year One: Shotgun!

_[Thursday - 11:37 AM]_

_Group Chat - SA Babes  
Members: Daniel, Merida, James, Angela, Xavier_

_Merida: Alright, I'm heading home tomorrow night for the weekend. Does anyone want to come with?_

_James: Miss your folks already?_

_Merida: I miss my car._

_Merida: And them too._

_Xavier: Angela, you want to get the car or do you want me to do it?_

_Angela: You want me on the interstate for four hours minimum?_

_Xavier: Count me in, Merida._

_Daniel: Me too._

_James: Daniel, I have my cars here. You don't have to go back._

_Merida: WOW THANKS FOR THE OFFER!_

_Xavier: Same here._

_James: I only have four on me and one needs a paint job._

_Merida: … I fucking hate you._

_Daniel: I'm homesick._

_Angela: That's so sweet. I'd go but I have to meet one of my profs tomorrow night. For some reason, their office hours are at that time which is weird, but what can you do?_

_Daniel: So it's me, Merida, and Xavier heading home?_

_Xavier: Sounds like it._

_James: You can borrow my car that needs a paint job. Drop it off when you're back in the city._

_Xavier: I hate you too._

-o-

_Friday - Hudson Residence - 17:38 PM_

"I'm heading home for the weekend," Xavier tells Ashton as he packs a bag.

Xavier pauses. _Did he really need a bag? _He didn't bring all his things here so there were still some clothes at home. He could bring back some laundry because he wouldn't have to pay for it there. _He should_. Xavier isn't staying for long. Only for the weekend. He plans to be back Sunday night because he'll get yelled at for not being in class early Monday morning.

Instead of asking why the sudden departure, Ashton cheers. Xavier, feeling offended, gives him a face. _Some friend he is._ Even when Ashton notices Xavier's wordless response, he doesn't stop.

"Thank you for the dorm," Ashton says, patting Xavier's shoulder. "Have a safe trip. See you Monday."

-o-

_Outside Edison Residence - 18:42 PM_

Everyone stands in Edison Residence's parking lot. Xavier, Daniel, and Merida have small bags with them to take home. Beside them, James has a fanny pack with an assortment of cars in it. _He won't waste his money on a parking pass_ which made perfect sense.

Once James finds the car, he puts it in a free space and grows it back to its normal size. The trio heading home didn't understand the issues with the car since it looks fine. _The paint looks better there than on any of their cars back home_. _Rich people._ But James had to jump-start it by popping open the front hood and gripping two wires, sparking them with bioelectricity.

"I hope we don't die on the way…" Daniel mutters.

"Or break down in the middle of nowhere," Merida adds.

"Whatever," Xavier says. _As long as they get from here to home, he's alright with anything._

James tosses the keys in the air. Xavier snatches them once Merida tries to jump for retrieval. She tries to get them from him as Daniel puts their bags in the trunk. _And he will claim shotgun before their argument is over. _He gets in the seat, buckles up, and picks a radio station. _And they're still bickering out there. _At this point, they should just cancel their trip home.

"I don't want to go to jail along the way," Xavier argues. "And I want to be there before Saturday."

Merida pauses. _She can't argue with Daniel's slow driving._ So she concedes, getting in the backseat. She won't pick a fight with Daniel over the front because she'll get more leg space in the back and can kick Xavier's seat whenever. _Which will be often._

They'll be home by at least midnight. _Or later once they meet New York traffic. _James and Angela wave them off as they drive away. She holds his hand with both of hers, smiling brightly as she rests her head on his shoulder.

"You know…" Angela whispers to him. "Your roommate isn't here and neither is mine. We room options, nothing due for Monday, and a weekend to ourselves."

James grins for a second. "But we need a plan."

"Babe, we don't."

"We won't know what we're doing!"

"It's fine," she reassures.

"No, but I don't want to screw this up for you."

"You won't."

"I'm sure I will. Trust me, Angela. The only thing I'm ever sure about is anything involving you."

Angela smiles sweetly as she kisses him on the cheek. _She's a lucky girl._

-o-

_Somewhere on the Interstate - 19:55 PM_

The make-believe paint job wasn't a problem. It still gave them a vehicle to get home. The hot-wiring was worrisome, but it got them some distance. The only reason it was _some_ _distance_ was because James gave them the car with low gas. It was a hybrid which meant Xavier could switch to electricity for a bit, but with no gas came no functioning battery. _He hates this car._

"Come on…" Xavier groans.

"I think the Academy's in New Jersey so that everyone has to travel to get there," Merida says. "It's only fair. Is anyone there even from New Jersey?"

_Not that they know._

He exits the freeway and they look around for the nearest gas/recharge station. _Might as well do both since this car had to be finicky. _Once they find a station that was a pit stop centre, Xavier turns in. Merida leaps out of the car with Xavier's card to go pay for gas. She saunters into the convenience store and pays before looking around for a bit.

It was a typical gas station stop. Everything from the merchandise to the people were questionable. As she roams the aisles, Daniel walks in and joins her. Before he could say anything, his eyes land on a shelf of blue boxes that made her heart stop. _Oh, they definitely needed those. _Merida and Daniel grab a few boxes, pay, and head back out to where Xavier was now charging the car. He looks over and sees the boxes of Pop-Tarts.

"Why?" Xavier asks.

"Maybe we can summon Apollo," Merida suggests. "Look, I know it's been a few months and they asked for a year, but we all miss them like crazy."

"I was never against it."

Merida pauses. "You're not?" She sees Xavier nod his head. "Huh."

"Besides, we need something to pass the time." Xavier pats the charging car they have to wait for. "Are those still edible?"

Daniel checks the sides of the box to find the expiry date. "I guess?"

Daniel didn't find an expiry date but it didn't matter. They would eat one pastry at most and attempt voodoo summoning with the rest. Besides, there were enough chemicals in those boxes to survive the apocalypse.

"If we do this and need stitches, you're paying," Xavier says, taking some boxes.

"I'll even do the stitches," Daniel promises.

So they walk off to the nearby open grassy space. Each of them takes a box and opens it. With one pop-tart in their mouth, they're not quite sure what to do. _Do they crumble them all and start a fire? _Not smart to do beside a gas station_. Do they make a shape of some sort and chant songs or prayers?_ They don't know any. If anyone walked by and thought they were a cult, they wouldn't be completely wrong.

The best they manage is making a 3-D lightning bolt out of various pop-tart flavours. It was about three feet long and three pastries tall. Instead of singing, they resorted to calling Apollo's name while looking up at the night sky.

No response. _Not surprising. _He likely didn't hear them.

Instead, Merida video-calls Emily. Maybe she'll know what to do in this situation. _Or how to make it worse without even trying. _When she answers, she sees the mess of Pop-Tarts on them and the masterpiece on the ground. She doesn't even bat a lash.

_Emily: You guys are always doing stupid shit._

* * *

**The ****_PNG_**** foreshadowing although I wrote it in ****_PNG _****first. But in terms of events, this happens first. It still hurts me but makes me smile.**


	17. Year One: Home Sweet Home

**You know, I was going to put this up tomorrow since it'll be my last day before break week, but I've had a day. I was late to a midterm and then the following class because of buses and traffic. Today hasn't been my day but this chapter fixes it. It's one of my favourites.**

* * *

Year One: Home Sweet Home

_Months Ago - Wakanda's Palace_

Ever since her engagement announcement, the wedding was under preparation. Although everything was sketched to follow tradition, Iqadi had to smoothen some details. _This was her wedding, after all. _She spoke with planners, caterers, the Elders, everyone who was anyone involved. Imanu was by her side in case he had anything to add. _It was his wedding as well. _He didn't say much because he was too scared of everyone, even a bit intimidated by his fiancée.

Imanu was alright with everything. His family as well. _He will be the groom at the royal wedding._ It didn't matter how the wedding turned out.

"We need to talk about something," Iqadi says once she and Imanu are alone.

"About what?" Imanu asks.

"Sex." She crosses her arms across her chest.

Imanu tries to act as casual as her but can feel his cheeks reddening. He hopes she doesn't notice but she's Princess Iqadi so she sees everything but she doesn't react. She only waits for him to take part in this conversation. _At least she was straightforward, as always._ Imanu was only taken aback because he didn't expect to talk about sex right after lighting choices for the reception.

"What's your history?" Iqadi asks like an interview.

Imanu hesitates. It's not that he doesn't know the answer. _He does._ It's because he's still processing the conversation. She was so mechanical about this and he isn't sure how to feel. _Did she care, feel concerned or was she trying to tick a box?_ Maybe all of the above because that's who she seems to be.

"None…" he mutters. _Was that embarrassing?_ It felt like it was.

And he will be making love to Princess Iqadi. _An actual goddess. _He doesn't deserve this. No wonder she's asking.

Iqadi nods, smiling a bit. "Me too."

Imanu exhales, relieved.

Iqadi raises a brow at him. "Are you okay?"

_That question is more embarrassing than asking about his sexual history. _

Imanu nods. "Oh, fine. I never thought about that."

"It just occurred to me," she responds.

"Do you want to…?"

Iqadi purses her lips together. "If you want to."

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 6:50 AM_

Maybe she didn't think this through. Angela was fine about asking him but now that it's getting closer to the actual event, she feels nervous. Emily told her _it's supposed to be fun, not stressful. _Britney once told her _to have fun_. And _to not take it so seriously_. (Then again, Angela ignored Britney's advice since she hooked up with _Xavier_. She didn't want to hear those details). Despite the advice, it was hard to keep calm. _She now understands why James kept on freaking out. _This is really out of their element.

"The real bicep workout is braiding your hair."

Angela looks up from her phone and sees some girls sitting nearby her in their residence's floor's common room. They're in the living room and some other girls are in the kitchen preparing small breakfasts for themselves. It's early so girls were walking by, getting ready for their days. Angela prepped by showering and eating an hour ago. Now, she's distracted by Orchid attempting to braid her hair. Angela finds herself getting frustrated at Orchid's arms knotted above and behind her head like a contortionist.

"Come here," Angela says.

Orchid drops her arms and scoots over. She sits on the floor in front of Angela on the couch. Angela puts her phone down and combs her fingers through Orchid's damp hair, likely from showering.

"What's up with you?" Orchid asks.

"Nothing," Angela responds as she parts the hair.

"Are you sure?"

"Okay, I know you're besties with my brother but don't tell him this."

Orchid starts riling at the idea of a secret. "Alright."

"My boyfriend and I will have sex for the first time this weekend."

Orchid claps for her. Angela smiles as she starts one of the braids. If there's anything she learned from living in residence for about a month, it's that everyone's open. People don't have to be necessarily close to each other to talk about these kinds of things.

"Woah!" Their RA, Simone, who sits on a couch across from them exclaims. She puts her drink down on the coffee table and leans closer, joining this conversation. "Sorry, I can't help it. You, freshie cadets, are like babies compared to seniors like me so this is exciting."

Angela almost drops the strand of hair she was twisting. _This is the least baby activity but, sure_. "I like your water bottle."

"Thanks," Simone says. "It can hold a whole bottle of wine."

Angela says nothing, unsure if she should ask if she was currently drinking wine. It's too early for that. _Orchid looks like she wants some if that's the case._ But Simone walks over and sits beside Angela on the couch, starting on Orchid's second braid.

"Orchid, are you a virgin?" Simone asks.

Orchid shakes her head, making the girls pause their braiding. "I'm not misinformed about sex. I grew up on a farm. Animals had sex left and right and, sometimes, we made them. Then again, they do it in the same position on the daily without consent and condoms. But I know about humans from actual experience with consent and condoms."

Angela pauses, taking a second to process that. "Probably should've started with that."

Orchid shrugs. "Look, you and James might not do this the first time but do you know that position where they hold your knees up?"

Angela doesn't respond when Orchid acts it out from where she's sitting but Simone's nodding wildly. _Was there something Angela missed out on?_

"Yes!" Simone says before laughing a little. "It hurts like a bitch!"

"But guys like that for some reason."

"Something about angles."

Simone looks at Angela. "Take this wisdom: when you know you will get some, you should always have fruit-scented wipes and clean around the area before going to town."

" … what?" Angela questions.

"Yes," Orchid supports. "I never carried wipes but that's good advice."

"I have everything in my dorm," Simone says. "I got lube, condoms, the morning-after pill, pregnancy tests, _everything_. Even all the fruits. Does your boy have a preference?"

Angela hesitates. "I don't know."

"She's not a berry girl," Orchid says. She turns around halfway and pokes the side of Angela's boob. "She's got some peaches. Or maybe go for cherries since it'll match the mood."

The apples of Angela's cheeks start reddening, especially when Orchid winks at her. _Perfect to match this awkward mood._

Simone nods, looking there and agreeing. "Don't worry, I got them all. The third drawer on the right. Everything's organized by berries, melons, Western fruits, and exotic ones. Take one or make a salad."

Orchid nods. "But it's better if he's tossing yours."

-o-

_Banner Household - 8:38 AM_

It's only been a month but it felt like so much longer. _Possibly because more than just living arrangements changed._ Their lives were flipped so much that it almost felt strange re-entering New York and seeing Stark Towers again. They got back late last night. It wasn't until the next morning did anyone really reconnect with their parents. During the moment between opening the door and seeing each other with fatigue, they can only catch up on the big things because it's too much of a tired bother to retell every little thing.

Although the little things are what make up life. _But that's what the next morning is for._

"I went from seeing her every day to never seeing her," Daniel tells his parents about Emily. "It's weird. And everyone in my program is obsessed with her which is even weirder."

Betty nods, stirring her coffee. "Well, she's doing amazing things out there. What about what you're learning? How's that going?"

Daniel smiles a little. "My brain is always going because it's running on things I'm passionate about so it's easier to not feel exhausted."

"But please sleep. Now that you're here, you're getting a bedtime again."

Daniel is about to laugh but stops when his mom's face doesn't budge. " … you're serious?"

"I am."

Daniel looks at his dad. "Help me out here."

"With your bedtime?" Bruce questions. "Not a chance. But back to what you're learning."

"It's great. What's hard is knowing what to cite."

"There's always liberation in admitting you don't know something."

"But I did know it. Apparently, I had to cite common sense."

Daniel isn't amused when his parents laugh. They're published scientists with a combined total of doctorates in the double digits. They're happy that he finally understands their long-standing issue of research versus common sense. He's not thrilled.

"I have to get an athletic credit," Daniel points out. "At some point before grad."

"How about yoga?" Bruce suggests.

Daniel cringes.

-o-

_Rogers Household - 8:48 AM_

Xavier woke up in his old bedroom and it didn't faze him. In his brief moments of procession and delirium, he got out of bed, took a shower, shaved, and got dressed. He went down the stairs, said good morning to his parents, and started getting breakfast. It wasn't until looking out the window and seeing James's car in his driveway did he remember he came home last night. _And he has to drop that car off before noon. _The past month in The Academy felt like a dream.

Peggy smiles at her son when she sees the realization hit. "I was like that when I went home the first time. Everything you went through feels surreal, doesn't it?"

Xavier leans against the counter, facing his parents who sit at the table across from him. "Yup. I've noticed that there's really no learning there. Only survival."

"Gut feelings are a survival tactic," Steve says.

Peggy nods. "Yeah. You get used to it. It's so much more than a game. It's a passion, a lifestyle, a state of mind. Before you even realize it's happening, you get used to things being different."

Steve looks at his wife. "Peggy."

Peggy opens her arms. "What? I actually attended the Academy so I have more of a say in this than you. Disappointment is good for kids but they're bloody _adults_. It prepares them for the real world where it's not always about them and their feelings. They just have to man up and work through the motions, aiming to where they want and heading there."

"I have no clue where I'm going," Xavier says while looking down at his phone.

"See?" Peggy gestures an arm towards him to prove her point to Steve.

"No, I'm talking about where to drop off James's car."

-o-

_Barton Household - 9:52 AM_

Merida passed out after being suffocated by her parents' hugs. She forgets falling asleep but she woke up in her bed to the smell of pancakes. If turns out that her dad made pancakes. He said he would make them anyways but Merida doubts that. _If she wasn't here, he would've eaten cereal while her mother made herself an omelette. _

"I wasn't expecting you home till Thanksgiving," Natasha says, passing Merida the syrup.

Merida shoves a forkful of pancakes in her mouth. "I need my car."

"I missed you too."

During hard times, it's still okay to laugh. Merida just doesn't want to choke on her suppressed feelings or pancakes so she stops chewing and stares at her mother. _It's too early for this. _

Merida starts drowning her pancakes in syrup. "I have loads of time to miss you."

"You think you have time but you really don't," Clint says.

"You said time passes differently in New Jersey."

Clint nods. "Because it does. That place is basically a different universe."

Merida rolls her eyes but maybe her dad was onto something since a month passed in the blink of an eye. _Fucking New Jersey…_

"What are you doing now?" Clint asks. "You're not fighting yet, right?"

"Nope," Merida responds. "It's all muscle work and endurance and stamina building."

Natasha scoffs. "Boring. You haven't lived until you've crashed through glass. Peggy said they do that in the upper years."

"Oh, I want to do that! What class is that?"

Clint laughs. "It's not in the fine print of our job description, but what we do is dangerous."

Merida knows that because it's been ingrained in her brain ever since she could think.

Merida points her fork at her parents. "There is a fine line between dangerous and reckless."

Clint stops the pancakes he was grilling and Natasha looks up from her plate. They look at each other blankly before facing an unfazed Merida. She was completely unaware of the weird thing she just said. _Fucking New Jersey…_

"Wow," Clint states. "You've lived with Angela for too long."

* * *

**Thank god I go it an all-girls university. Everyone, at least the ones I've spoken to, are very open about sex and all things related. (A lot of little conversation snippets in this story will have quotes from my life experience. Feel free to leave me some of yours as well and you might find them here).**


	18. Year One: Just Happened

**To answer all the questions I've forgotten: yes, I have seen all the movie trailers that have been out. I'm excited for a lot of them. Hopefully, during my week off, I will get to go watch _Birds of Prey_ (because I've been listening to _Sway With Me_ on loop ever since it came out).**

**S/O to the music I was listening to for this chapter. No, I'm not telling you what it was.**

* * *

Year One: Just Happened

_Atlantic Residence - 18:04 PM_

Angela and James sit across from each other on her bed. Both of them occasionally look at each other, hearts racing, minds wondering how to start this. Nobody could tell them how to get it going. They always spoke about the during but never the before which, in hindsight, is the most important part since you have to get to the during. _Some help they were_. But they could figure this out. _It's their moment. _

"Okay," Angela says with an exhale, "if you're feeling too much pressure about this, we don't have to."

"No, no, no…" James replies, turning to face her. "It's just - how do people do this so easily?"

"They don't think."

"All we do is think!"

"I know." She laughs a little. Angela's always thinking of something she has to do next and James is thinking of anything but what he has to do. "Maybe we should just shut our brains off for a bit."

"Or we don't and just -"

James reaches across and puts his hands on the sides of Angela's head. He repositions it so that it's facing him and he scoots a spot closer. As she stares at him, he keeps her gaze as he lowers his hands to her shoulders.

When was the last time they just sat down and looked at each other?

They're adults who have known each other since they were babies born a bit over a week apart. They grew up together without remembering a first introduction. The whole _Angela, meet James _and vice versa was ingrained in their minds. They knew each other but didn't. There was no true destiny for them like Emily and Daniel or a high school flame like Xavier and Britney. Angela and James weren't each other's first kisses, first crushes or first partner.

But they're with each other now. Looking at each other so intensely for the first time in eighteen years, there is nothing more they could ever want now.

James leans forwards and takes her hands into his. "Promise me this."

"Anything," Angela responds, waiting for him to continue.

"Tell me if anything's going wrong. I only care if you're enjoying it."

Angela's heart swells until it hurts, but it's the best pain ever. She's been with James for a while but _that_ is the moment where she notes herself as the luckiest girl ever. This is his time as well and he's prioritizing her above all.

"I love you so much," Angela says.

James smiles at her before gently holding the back of her head to kiss her. Her mind is in a flurry as James's lips press up against her skin, igniting her insides. She finds one of his hands and puts it on one of her breasts, keeping her hand on top to hold it there.

James pulls back for a second and looks down without removing his head. He meets Angela's eyes. "Are you sure about this?"

"As much as you're sure about me."

Seeing the reassurance on his face, Angela pulls him back in. Once they start, they know there's no going back.

-o-

_Rogers Household - 18:40 PM_

"So how's Angela doing?" Steve asks.

Xavier looks up from his dinner plate and shrugs. He was texting her this morning and everything seemed fine. The Academy was still there and they still had class on Monday, unfortunately. He would know based on text messages if something was wrong. And there was no problem. Besides, if there was an issue, she could solve it herself. _She would put out the fire and teach the classes herself._

"She's doing great," Xavier responds. _His twin telepathy tells him so. _The only reason he's glad Angela didn't come back home with him was that he didn't have to eat (or think about) a vegan dinner. _Bless meat. _

"Did James come back as well?" Peggy asks.

"Nope," Xavier responds, "just lent us a car."

Peggy puts down her fork and looks across the table at Xavier who went back to eating. _No flags_. Ignoring him for a second, she looks at Steve who hasn't even looked up from his plate. _Doesn't know what flags are. _Peggy sighs. As a woman who was once at The Academy, she knows what happens there because some things never change. As a mother, she's only happy that her daughter is dating a boy she knows and trusts. _But she's calling that daughter right after the table's clear. _

But god help the men in front of her. _Like Father, like Son._

Peggy clears her throat. "Steve."

"Yes, dear?" Steve asks.

_Still no flags in sight._ "Pass the salt."

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 19:35 PM_

Neither of them had any idea what they were in for. They were worried about doing something wrong. There was a lot of nervous laughter, questions making sure the other is okay, fumbling around. But once they got a rhythm, they stayed with it. And once they finished, or thought they finished, they felt accomplished.

James lies on her bed with a bright and proud smile. _Wow_. That just happened. He thought it'd be weirder but it wasn't because it was with the girl he loves.

He looks up and sees Angela walking back into their room. _Was she always wearing some oversized tee that she stole from him before The Academy? When did she get it? _He forgot all about that shirt_. Because she had it for a while, obviously. _It looks better on her. _Way better. _The way the thin fabric hugs her body but hides everything except her legs and arms. _She can keep the shirt._ A beautiful body that he got to explore as she took a trip around his.

What an adventure.

When they look at each other, there's less tension than before. Her hair falls beside her face and her cheeks are a pale rosy colour. She's smiling lighter but happier like there's this new glow to her. Her happiness relieves him of any nerves he had when she first brought it up.

Angela closes the door by leaning against it. She teeters back on her heels and her hair swoops in that direction, clapping past her shoulders as the door clicks shut.

"Did you change the sheets?" Angela asks, walking over to her bedside.

"Yeah," James responds, pointing to a pile of discarded sheets in the corner of the room. "I'll deal with those when I head out which won't be for a while."

He opens his arm and she climbs back into bed with him. She nestles in his embrace. Her breathing takes a few breaths to be at the same pace as his. Angela rests a hand on his chest and she swears she could feel his bioelectricity sparking so lightly from underneath his skin.

"I love you," Angela tells him.

"I love you too," he responds.

* * *

**By the way, Happy Valentine's Day.**


	19. Year One: Camp SHIELD

**Time for me to get triggered with high school memories. **

* * *

Year One: Camp SHIELD

_[Yesterday - 8:48 AM]_

_[Mass email for all first-year students in all programs]_

_Cadets:_

_This email serves as a reminder. The following weeks will be the mandatory excursion at Camp SHIELD. Classes, training sessions, lectures, and labs have been rescheduled and modified to cater to your timetable for the next weeks. For your updated schedule, log in to your student account. Attached is the list of what to pack and the rooming arrangements; divided by program. _

_Service and internet access will be limited. Make sure to tell your families you may not be able to contact them for the weeks to come. _

_Should you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact any of your professors or counsellors._

-o-

_Present Day - Wakanda's Palace - 7:16 AM_

"Are you ready?"

Imanu looks up and sees Iqadi walking out of their ensuite. She's dressed in a dark pantsuit and heels, straightening wrinkles that weren't there. It was a solid piece with a neckline that plunged enough to see something but still had professional regality. There was a muted silver belt around her waist that draws Imanu's eyes. _Wow. _He was dressed fancy as well but he didn't look _that_ good. Imanu looks up and sees Iqadi staring at him. _Wow again._ But she was waiting for an answer to a question he didn't think about. _What was it again?_

"You just have to sit there and look pretty," Iqadi says although he didn't answer. _She knows him that well because he would've alluded to saying no_. She was trying to be reassuring and he loves her for that. "I will never make you do a speech if you don't want to."

Imanu is taken aback. "You're serious?"

Iqadi takes a seat beside him on their bed and brushes off his shoulders. "I always am. Besides, you're still adjusting to roles and responsibilities around here. My mother had to take on duties ever since she walked through the gates. I would never do that to you."

"But you've been giving speeches since you were sixteen."

"That was two years ago and I spent sixteen years preparing for it. You've barely been here for half a year and I know you wouldn't like it."

Before Imanu could respond, Iqadi turns her back to him and hands him a necklace. Imanu takes each end in a hand as she bunches her hair over a shoulder. She looks over, watching him fumble with the clasp which he didn't want her to see. _He hasn't even put the necklace around her neck and he's already screwing up_. Imanu loops the necklace around her, resting the chain on her collarbones before connecting the ends. He exhales as she lowers her hair. Iqadi turns around to face him again and she sees his worry.

_Because he's seen her put on necklaces by herself before. She didn't have to ask him to do it but she wanted him to_.

"Let's go," he says, ushering her out of the room to avoid a conversation on what occurred.

"Imanu," she says, stopping him. She puts her hands on his arms which forces him to directly look at her. _She's so beautiful. He doesn't deserve her_. "Are you ready?"

"No," he responds. "Can I redo your necklace?"

He points at the charm around her neck. Iqadi glances down at it and smiles. Although there's nothing wrong with it, she removes her necklace and hands it to him.

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 2:20 AM_

They're leaving in an hour. Everyone's packing for Camp SHIELD. They were all sent a list of what to pack but that didn't matter when nobody could find anything and they had no time to look. From Angela and Merida's dorm, they could hear closets and drawers slamming shut, footsteps running across rooms, and roommates yelling at each other.

Merida yawns as she tosses her training uniforms in her bag. _Were they clean? _Oh well. She throws in some toiletries, every portable charger she owns, and snacks for survival.

"Did you pack sunscreen?" Angela says. If someone was paying attention to the list provided, it's her.

"Only because I burn easily," Merida responds.

"What about a jacket?"

"Get off my ass about wearing a jacket."

"It's October and we're going into nature. It will be chilly."

Merida mocks her with a high-pitched voice and crinkled facial expressions as she throws in a jacket. Angela narrows her eyes at Merida before folding everything in her bag so that it'll close properly. _God help her. _They won't waste time by sitting on the bag and zipping.

Merida and Angela look up at the sudden thumping noise coming from the room above. _God help all of them. _

-o-

_Hudson Residence - 2:22 AM_

It wasn't comforting that their RA was awake and giving them all personalized farewells, especially since he's a survivor of Camp SHIELD. If anyone should pity them, it's him. But he'll still get paid for watching an empty residence because the whole floor will be at Camp SHIELD. _Lucky bastard … he gets paid for babysitting nobody._

Ashton and Xavier were the only two on their floor who were smart enough to pack last night. They could've gotten at least two extra hours of sleep but there was so much noise from their neighbours.

"Why do I still feel like we'll be the ones dying at Camp SHIELD?" Ashton asks as he and Xavier head for the elevator.

"Because we thought we could prepare in advance for this," Xavier responds.

-o-

_Edison Residence - 2:27 AM_

Daniel couldn't wake up James. He was too nice and James wouldn't be productive. _As if he was ever_. The noise from their neighbours in every direction didn't faze James because he was wearing noise-cancelling headphones and an eye mask with the covers and a pillow over his head. Daniel knows he'll have to wake James eventually, but he can do that later. _Preferably at the last minute because that's usually when James gets his shit together. _

Usually.

Daniel even has to make sure that he texts their parents and Emily about them going MIA for the next bit. He repeats the process on James's phone. Because god help them if Emily Stark and Janet van Dyne worry about them together over mimosas.

-o-

_Somewhere in the Air - 4:17 AM_

They're on jets heading to their unknown destination. Nobody knew where Camp SHIELD since the location changes annually. The only information they got was that it was somewhere in the United States and that they will be in nature. Those are the reasons why they could leave their passports and pack for a camping trip. But nobody would be singing camp songs and making s'mores. Everyone's heard the horror stories of Camp SHIELD from older students and their RAs. To put it nicely, it's bootcamp on steroids. Most say that Operations students would be begging to return to campus and run laps in an ice storm. Others say that Sci-Tech students would plead to get their calculators taken away for the year. Then the Communications students bargain to get their data software exchanged for a pen and paper if it meant they didn't have to come here.

It didn't help that the plane ride there were full of wind turbulences and the counsellors (third-year students) were thriving on their innocent fear. They laughed amongst themselves, exaggerating their worst experiences, and bragged about how they're lucky to finally be on the other side.

In a row of three, Merida, Xavier, and Angela were lucky to be assigned next to each other. Merida snagged the window, Angela the aisle, and Xavier didn't argue against the middle. _Merida looked riled and Angela was stressed._ Besides, he heard it would be a short flight.

"Can we just admit that we're scared?" Angela whispers to them.

Merida turns away from the window. "Why?"

"Because shared human experience. If we all admit that we're scared, we'll feel less scared."

Xavier nods. _Whatever will help her._ " … I'm fucking terrified."

Merida shrugs. "I have no fear."

Before Angela could respond, the counsellors stand up from the front of the plane. One of them blows a whistle to get their attention. Some sleeping students jump a little in their seats, grunting and cursing as they look ahead.

"Alright, who are the assholes here on Director Fury scholarships?!" One counsellor asks.

Angela, Merida, and Xavier don't react. They continue looking straight ahead and do nothing that will give anything away that they were the recipients. Students start looking around, peeping over their seats to see who's going to put up their hands, and the three of them copy to divert suspicion.

Apparently, Director Fury never gave out a scholarship. He never interfered in The Academy's affairs because The Academy was its own institution with recruiting agents. But now rumour got around that he poked in this year. _And Angela, Merida, and Xavier know why._ It wasn't anyone's business they got the scholarships and they didn't want the spotlight on them. _Especially at Camp SHIELD._

"Come on, we know there are five of you," another counsellor badgers. "Five out of, was it eight or nine? Who's dumb enough to reject a scholarship here?"

_Two Asgardians, likely the Princess of Wakanda, and Emily Stark. _The Academy would've never been able to handle them.

"Probably Sci-Tech or Communications kids," a counsellor reasons before they all sit down.

-o-

James was sleeping on Daniel's shoulder so he didn't hear the question and Daniel sank into his seat. They were on a different compartment of the plane but their counsellors grilled them about the Director Fury scholarships as well.

Daniel readjusts his glasses as everything settles. He tries his best to tune out the whispers from everyone around him. When that fails, he takes one of James's airpods and cranks up the music.


	20. Year One: Off the Grid

**Some scenes in the Camp SHIELD chapters will be snippets I've taken from ****_PNG_**** (because I did two flashback chapters to Camp SHIELD) since I plan to remove those chapters when I revamp that story.**

* * *

Year One: Off the Grid

_Camp SHIELD - 7:30 AM_

Jets landed on an open field reserved as a landing base. Cadets filed out with their bags and followed directions to their cabins. To their surprise, they were in log cabins with three bunk beds on each side of the room, making there twelve people per cabin. Everyone only had time to claim a bunk by throwing their bag on a bed because they had to run back out for opening welcomes.

They're bunched together, exhausted because there was no time for sleep between packing and travel. _Who could sleep on that plane ride? _At least they're all dressed in what they're supposed to be wearing.

_Except for James_. He's awake now but still in his pajamas. He doesn't remember getting on a jet or packing a bag. All he woke up to were some upper years screaming at him and his bag taking the life out of him when it was thrown at his chest. And he's missing an airpod. _Life isn't fair. _

And now he's here. In Ohio, _he assumes_. He did the math with flight time and the current time in his head while factoring in their environment. Short flight, grassy field, forest border, mountains nearby. Nothingness. _Ohio_.

Where can he get a coffee and a bite to eat? Looking around, there are no cafés nearby. He even misses the cafeteria. _Never thought he'd say that._ But he stops when he spots blonde locks that awaken the butterflies in his stomach. _There's a snacc._

"A familiar face!" James exclaims, running over to her.

"I know nobody in my room," Angela whispers, holding his arm tightly. "I don't have Merida or Orchid or even anyone in any of my classes...that I know."

"I just threw my bag on a corner bunk and came out searching for food." James looks around to try and find a vending machine. "Did Merida pack snacks?"

"I don't know where Merida is."

_That means she has snacks._ "I think Daniel took one of my airpods. Do you know where he is?"

"You were with him on the jet, weren't you?"

Before James could form a rebuttal against that, a horn blares and he jumps. _Thank god because he had no good argument for losing Daniel_. James and Angela look ahead and see an agent front and centre with a megaphone. It's the Director of SHIELD Academy. Everyone instantly goes silent.

"Welcome, Cadets," the director says into the megaphone, "you next few weeks here won't be dangerous but they will scare the shit out of you. It will prepare you for your upcoming years. By graduation, you will be able to save the world or do a push-up."

"I'm going to die…" Angela mutters.

"I'm so inspired," James adds. Someone believes he'll do a push-up in four years.

Once they're ordered to disperse to their first classes, Angela's the one who jumps. James sighs happily because he can finally go on a hunt for sustenance. _He can't go to class on an empty stomach! _But before he could leave, Angela grips his arm tighter.

"If you want to have stress sex, just find me," Angela says before running off.

James watches her disappear into the crowd. His body tingles, the butterflies in his stomach bounce against the walls, and make a smile appear. _Forget what people said about Camp SHIELD being hell. He'll be in heaven._ Then he makes eye contact with one of his instructors.

"Sup, Sir," James greets.

"Pym, get out of your PJs," he orders.

James salutes before running back to his cabin.

-o-

She's in hell.

Angela successfully finished sprinting the distance a good twenty minutes ahead of everyone else. She heads over to her bag, getting her water bottle. Though she barely broke a sweat, she still dumps some water on her head. She wanted to cool off and pre-shower _since she didn't get to properly shower this morning._ Her professor approaches her and she stands up straight, trying not to breathe so loud.

"Rogers, you could do better," she tells her.

Angela has no immediate response. She takes a breath, making sure she heard that correctly. _Did she really say that? _The only reason that Angela's surprised about that feedback is because she expected praise of some sort for being the first to finish. _And by a lot. _She could've done another five laps and still be here first still without a sweat.

"But I finished before everyone else by _a lot_," Angela argues. "There are people still running. Someone passed out back there!"

"I know," the agent responds. "I just expected more out of you given that you're Captain America's daughter."

As the agent walks off to check the other recruits (hopefully the one who passed out), Angela stands alone, putting two fingers to her neck. Her heart was racing more now than while she was running.

-o-

After a hard day of rigorous training, Merida finally got to sleep in her cabin. Angela wasn't in her cabin so she saw no point in talking to anyone. The cabin itself was more on the rustic, camping side, nothing high-tech like SHIELD's own facilities. _Or their dorm back home because at least there was internet and cell service. _The most advanced pieces of technology they have on them were two outlets by the door (which was hard to manage for twelve girls sharing one cabin). _But Merida was secretly using a portable charger she packed. Thank god she had them._ When the girls all came here, they knew the cabins weren't penthouse suites but they knew the cabins were habitable.

Until the roof sprung a leak.

Merida grunts in her sleep as drops of water start to hit her face. She wakes up and sees that there are several leaks in her cabin that only seem to be getting stronger by the second. _Whatever. _She puts a pillow over her head and scoots over in her bed.

"Is it raining?" Someone asks as other girls start jumping out of their beds.

"No!" Another girl responds. "The skies are clear!"

"This stupid school is flooding us in!" A third girl screams.

Merida groans before sitting up. Her eyes pop open at the sudden swimming pool in her cabin. _The Academy really is flooding her in. Fuck them_. She heard the horror stories and she should've paid closer attention. _Fuck the story where they only had vegetables to eat. _

"Wake the fuck up!" Merida screams at everyone still asleep, getting pushed over by a water current.

Merida falls out of her top bunk and somersaults into a half-cannon ball when she splashes. Merida flails before getting back on her feet. The water is at her waist and her curls have gained weight now that they're wet. She sees some girls try to ram down the door and others at the window.

That's when the water starts getting higher faster. Their room is basically at the bottom of a waterfall.

"The door is locked!" Someone yells.

With the water now up to their elbows, they begin pounding the windows until they're forced to tread water. Once the water becomes too much, they're forced to hold their breaths and swim underwater, still trying to get out.

Nothing can penetrate the windows or get the door open, especially through the medium they're currently in.

After five minutes of holding their breaths, all the water drains out on its own. Merida and the others stumble on their feet, gasping for air. All the other girls begin cursing and complaining about everything they own now being soaked, threatening SHIELD for ruining their belongings. Merida only wrings out her hair.

"I'm going back to sleep," Merida says. _She thinks she packed a hammock and a mosquito net._

* * *

** Those last two parts were from ****_PNG_****. **


	21. Year One: It's Tradition

**I'm currently sitting in the optometrist's office, praying that they have cute frames available.**

* * *

Year One: It's Tradition

_Camp SHIELD - 6:35 AM_

Out of everything that was the same from back at the Academy, the shower setting made everyone feel _back at home_. It was the same communal layout with stalls, steam, and soaps. Xavier almost forgot he was at the dreaded Camp SHIELD. It feels like he's back at Hudson, about to head to class after he's done here, and can go find his friends.

"Someone took our clothes!"

Everyone, including Xavier, shot off the water. Through the fog from the showers, they step out and wrap their towels around. In the various spots where they left their training uniforms, they're empty.

Curses fill the shower space as they look around. They check each stall, underneath the pile of dirty towels, in the corners and vents. Nothing. _At least they have their towels but it's quite the walk from here to their cabins. _And the towels aren't allowed to leave the showers or else they'll get left in the dorms and nobody will have any towels in here.

Nobody noticed anyone walking in who wasn't still here.

A counsellor walks in, laughing like an evil mastermind. "Streaking across camp is a must. It's tradition. Every male Operations freshman class goes through it. I had to do it two years ago and you can make cadets do it in two years. Run to the main training centre and you'll get your uniform back. You run with a towel, that's all you get to wear for the day."

Xavier bites his lips at the slew of curses being thrown at the counsellor. He isn't one to swear yet he's not innocent of it, but _fuck that guy_. He looks at the other guys in the room with him. They're enraged because it wasn't one of their own who did that or even those Sci-Tech kids, it was their _counsellors._ Xavier recognizes some of them from his classes, but now wasn't the time for reconnecting.

"Anyone got a plan?"

Xavier doesn't have time to think because he's getting cold, hasn't eaten, and has somewhere to be in less than thirty minutes. _At least he knows where his uniform is._

"You heard him," Xavier says. "It's tradition."

He drops his towel and sprints out the door. _Thank the genetic gods for his father's super-soldier traits._

Not even five minutes later, Xavier arrives at the main training centre. Before he stops, his uniform is thrown at his face and he quickly puts it on. After zipping up his vest, he lies on the ground and catches his breath. He isn't tired from the running because that was nothing. It was the adrenaline of being completely exposed while sprinting across the open Ohio fields. He didn't see anyone because he was too focused on getting here, but anyone could've been out there. _He pities the other guys more._

Once Xavier catches his breath, he looks up and sees one of his professors standing above him.

"You don't quite have your father's speed," his instructor says. He offers Xavier a hand and pulls him up.

Xavier shrugs. "No, but I won the better traits."

Before the instructor could ask, Xavier grabs everyone else's uniforms and heads right back out the door.

-o-

"Easy…" Daniel mutters to James. "Don't rush."

"Sometimes I want to rush just so you'd be quiet," James responds.

Daniel huffs. "Well, sometimes I tell you to slow down because you go too quick."

James rolls his eyes.

The two of them stand in a laboratory, working on an experiment that their professor projected the instructions to complete. Along with their classmates, Daniel and James wear lab coats, safety goggles, and gloves. James had to be reminded on many occasions to put his glasses and/or gloves back on. _He didn't understand how Daniel wears glasses all day. Don't they add weight on his face? Maybe he got used to them after coming out of the womb with glasses._ But Daniel holds the clipboard, taking down the notes they need for the report to hand in by the end of the class. James was performing the experiment. _Maybe not the best choice but it's better than him taking notes. _

James pours a translucent substance in a green solution that simmers over a bunsen burner. When the two liquids contact each other, they sizzle. James puts the test tube down and watches as nothing happens. James taps his foot restlessly as Daniel writes the observation for the report.

"That was anti-climatic," James says, disappointed.

"That's because you rush to conclusions," Daniel replies, not looking up from his writing.

"Well, excuse me if -"

James cuts himself off when he sees the beaker starting to smoke. He runs over to the fire extinguisher and points it at the beaker as Daniel remains calm and unfazed by all this. At one point, James gets too scared of anything threatening that would happen if that beaker kept on boiling.

"Take cover!" James says, throwing himself on top of Daniel for protection.

Both boys hit the ground, papers from their lab report flying everywhere. James covers his ears, curling in a fetal position with the fire extinguisher wrapped inside his body. Daniel merely sits up, gathers his papers and pencil, and continues writing. James looks at him and slowly unravels himself, realizing that nothing exploded. The beaker continues simmering.

"So it worked?" James questions.

"Of course, it worked," Daniel replies as if it was a given. "It's a science experiment that we're in charge of. I never doubted its success. We planned it out and followed the steps. How could it have gone wrong?"

James hates it when Daniel unintentionally makes him sound like an idiot. _Because he does that perfect on his own._ "Then why did it take so long and started smoking?"

Daniel grins. "Because you rush."

-o-

_She preferred using a bow but they wouldn't give her one in first year. _And yet they'll give everyone axes to throw at targets drawn on dead trees. Apparently, it saves the government some money if the trees fall so they wouldn't have to cut them down. Merida has nothing to argue about because she already lost the barter with her professor. _It's a sharp weapon and she can channel her inner Apollo. _Her professor didn't tell her that but that's how she got herself to shut up and start her target practice. Win-win.

Her arm is bent over her shoulder as her eyes focus on the target. She tilts her head a little and the butt of the blade taps against her shoulder blade. The surrounding noise is her classmates getting critiques and weapons hitting or missing the trees. It's peaceful and there's this rhythm to the randomness.

On her exhale, she brings back a memory of Apollo driving. She throws the axe as he makes the red light and it hits the bullseye when she and Apollo roar laughter.

Coming back to reality, Merida's proud of herself. She turns around and sees her professor looking at her with the grade book nestled in her arms.

"Your execution isn't as clean as your father's, Barton," she says as she writes. The comments are likely beside her name and not from the classmate next to her.

"Do I look like my father?" Merida asks. _That came out a little ruder but she intended for it._

Her professor meets Merida's eye and points her pen at her. "Watch that tone with your superiors."

"My bad." _Again, a little rude._

"And that attitude. At least fake it if you want to last."

Merida bites her lips together, forcing a toothless smile with a nod. _She won't admit that's some good advice. _When the professor goes to check the next student, Merida picks up another axe. She gets back in the stance to throw it but instead of picturing driving with Apollo, she hides a grin as she pictures her instructor.

-o-

For the first time at Camp SHIELD, the five of them found a minute to see each other. Since they didn't have cell service, they couldn't go into their group chat to drop a text about needing an existential crisis meltdown. Between classes and labs, they hide behind a cabin in a setting of trees with the familiar sound of screams in the background. For a second, they were almost unrecognizable. The Operations kids are in matching field uniforms without the bulletproof vests and holsters while the Sci-Techs are in their lab coats; James wears his field uniform underneath his lab coat. Before they start talking, they look at each other. _Who will start the conversation?_

"All our classmates have come from military schools, private schools, program-specific academies, and all that fancy stuff," Angela says.

"So?" Xavier asks, not seeing the issue.

James came from a private school but says nothing because it's not the time _and he has nothing redeemable from it to prove a point._

Angela blinks, wondering why her twin doesn't get it. "We went to public school."

Merida shrugs. "Yeah, well, we're still at an advantage. Check out our names and our skills. Gotta love genetics and nepotism."

Angela shakes her head, irritated at all her friends. "You're all missing the point. SHIELD Academy is super competitive. Everyone here had to take a series of admission tests - psychological, physical, aptitude, written and oral tests, and have a freaking background investigation. We got accepted on an offered and full scholarship because we were born into this life."

"Shouldn't be that hard since we're the best," James says optimistically. "We could've easily passed all of those tests."

Angela shakes her head. "Our professors hold us to a different standard."

"It'll be fine," Daniel says. He's not sure if he believes his words. "We'll be fine."

"SA Babes," Merida mutters, grinning at the sound of their group chat's name.

"SA Babes," they repeat with smiles.

* * *

**The part with Daniel and James in the laboratory is from ****_PNG_****. And that last part with the whole group was in the sneak peek in Emily's story.**


	22. Year One: Wingman Duties Commence

**I'm very excited about this chapter. *puts in the first part which wasn't in the original plan* I wasn't prepared for this chapter.**

* * *

Year One: Wingman Duties Commence

_Five Years Ago - Rogers Household_

Enraged, Xavier climbs up the stairs, skipping two to three steps at a time. _Stupid private school boys… _He's never going to play a casual football game against them again. On any other day, Xavier can accept defeat. If it was a fair game and everyone had fun, he's more than happy to take the L. But not today. _Oh, no definitely not today._ Because today, his team lost to cheating. _Cheating_. And those stupid private school boys wouldn't even admit it!

He's not exaggerating when he would say that this is the worst day of his life.

Running down the hall, he opens Angela's bedroom door and starts letting it all out when he sees her.

"I already told Daniel and Apollo this but listen to me," Xavier starts. "What's the point of claiming a victory after cheating if the people you lost to know that you cheated? It's a waste. It's meaningless. There's no merit. And don't tell me that it's trivial since it was just a game in the park but there was no merit!"

"Xavier," Angela states but the call goes right over his head.

"Those boys can't even tackle," Xavier continues. "If you can't tackle in football, then you don't deserve to win." _Cheating or not. _

"Xavier!" Angela yells this time.

"What?!"

Xavier looks at his twin and doesn't even have to watch her gesture to turn. He didn't even notice that Angela has a friend from their school in the room, especially since it was _her_. Seeing her took his breath away like when she first walked into their classroom as the new girl. And he didn't expect her to be here, watching him with her big green eyes as he went on a long-winded rant about losing to cheaters. _How embarrassing_. There's nothing more he wants to do now than back out of the room and go hide in his room, but he can't move because she's staring at him with a beautiful smile and wave.

Xavier takes a quick breath to regain himself. "Hiya, Britney."

He should've kept quiet. _Hiya? Really? _First, he loses a football against cheaters and says _hiya_? He meant to say hello, not perform karate.

-o-

_Present Day - Camp SHIELD - 11:23 AM_

Xavier looks ahead at the open field. He has a large tire in front of him that he has to flip across. Classmates by his side are in the same position. Once the whistle blows, they start the drill. It's moments like this when Xavier understands why everyone's so harsh in The Academy. _Or rationalizes why Camp SHIELD is a living hell. _It's not about whatever tiny infraction has gotten them singled out. It's about discipline and performing under pressure while keeping a level head to follow orders.

Xavier was lost in his thoughts and didn't notice he passed the finish line a bit back. If he didn't almost crash into Orchid, who he didn't know was running over to him, he would've flipped that tire back to New Jersey. _Or even Brooklyn. _

"Guess what," Orchid says. Her body jitters excitedly as if she's about to explode. "I found him."

He didn't even get a chance to guess. "Found who?"

"My man."

Xavier blinks. "Again, who?"

Orchid scoffs, nudging him. "My high school sweetheart! Xavier, I thought you remembered you were helping me!"

He hesitates a little. "I've had a lot on my mind."

"Like what?"

_Nothing, if he's going to be honest_. "Who is it?"

Orchid beams. "He's a god."

Xavier nods. He knows a couple of gods so he's interested to see who this guy is. _Maybe it's Apollo. _That'd be hilarious.

Xavier watches Orchid stand on the tire. Using his shoulder to help her balance, she squints her eyes as she scopes the field where the rest of his class is. Xavier looks that way as well although he has no idea who he's looking for. Some of his classmates have finished the drill and others are almost there.

"There!" Orchid says, pointing.

Xavier follows her gesture and, at first, it doesn't help since she's pointing at a group of guys. But then he takes a hint when she swoons and almost melts into him. He even heard her sighing like a deflating tire.

Xavier watches the centre of the pack walk out mid-bro-hug with a classmate. Wearing that bright smile, he whips his long blond hair as he parts from the half-embrace. _It might as well be Apollo_ but it's not. His beached-tan skin glistens from here, fresh with sweat from the drill. He lifts the bottom of his shirt up to wipe his face, casually showing off his tight abs and flexing his arms.

Xavier has no opinion because he doesn't swing that way, but Orchid has hearts so big in her eyes that she wants to run for home.

Once the shirt is lowered, Orchid returns to reality and leaps off the tire.

"I'm going to need your help with this," Orchid states.

"What am I supposed to do?" Xavier asks.

"You know boys. You are one."

_As if that'll help._ "I don't know how to get them."

"He's in your weight class."

"So? A lot of people are. I don't know him."

"We'll work on that. Maybe you can make new friends too."

Xavier gives her a look. "I made you as a friend, didn't I?"

Orchid puts a hand on her chest. "The fact that you asked hurts my heart and soul."

"You wanted to be besties."

"Yes, but I also want you as my wingman so get started on your wingman duties. Don't worry, I won't let you work alone. I'll pull my weight as I do on the farm. I learned some tips from the girls in my cabin."

"Like what?"

"They said that I have to like a photo on his profile. Then, he'll like one of mine back. I'll like another of his and he'll like another of mine. The cycle continues until he sends a DM or, as they say, _slide into them_."

Xavier doesn't understand that at all. But he'd be lying if she said girls here didn't try that with him. He just didn't like any photos back because he thought that liking the most recent photo, which was from months ago, would seem creepy. _Whatever_. He barely understood girls let alone guys and online lives. Dating Britney was so easy compared to this nonsense.

" … that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Xavier tells her.

Orchid smacks his arm with the back of her hand. "And how did you get your prize hen's attention?"

"I said hi."

Orchid raises a brow. "Did you really?"

"I said _hiya_ but I was nervous. She was just in my house with Angela. I didn't expect her to be there."

Orchid looks at him with disbelief that says she believes it based on what she knows about him. Before she could question, the boy of the hour starts running up to them. Orchid inhales sharply, gripping Xavier's arm. _It's fate!_ Xavier doesn't notice at first but immediately gets her off him when he does. He has to make sure Orchid doesn't faint in front of them.

"Prof Burke wants to know if you're taking a break," the golden boy says to Xavier.

_Australian accent_. That's new to both Xavier and Orchid. He notices the hearts in her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. That accent must be beyond desirable to her Southern one.

Xavier clears his throat. "I guess I am."

"I'm heading down to the mess hall to grab a bite. Wanna come with?"

"Yes!" Orchid exclaims for Xavier. "Yes, we will." She sticks her hand out for him. "Hiya, I'm Orchid."

Xavier tries not to laugh at the _hiya_.

Brody gives her a strong handshake in return. "Like the flower."

Orchid nods. "Yes, like the flower."

Xavier smiles to himself. He hasn't started his wingman duties and maybe he won't have to. This ship looks like it was going to sail by itself. Or maybe he did help since the boy ran up to him. Either way, being a wingman was easier than he thought. _He didn't see that coming. _

The golden boy smiles a little, continuing to shake her hand since she didn't let go. _It's not like he minded_. "Brody Ocean."

"Like the …" Orchid hesitates. "...big body of water."

_Never mind_. If they couldn't see him, Xavier would've facepalmed. _And he thought he was bad at flirting._ Orchid glances at Xavier for a second and he gives her a thumbs-up to be supportive. She looks mortified but not so much after Xavier's reassurance. _He has a lot of work to do and he doesn't know where to start._

But at least she got his name.

Brody laughs a little. "Yes, like the big body of water."

* * *

**He'll have a better introduction in an upcoming chapter, but allow me to introduce our third and final rando for first year, Brody Ocean.**

**I didn't plan for the Britney flashback to be there. Originally, she was going to first appear with Apollo in a later chapter, but this draws a nice parallel in which Xavier and Orchid are awkward at flirting. (And I miss Britney.)**

**_Britney's Counterpart - _****Chapter 73: (Britney Braun) What's My Answer?**


	23. Year One: Mutual Vulnerability

**We will be taking a little vacation from Camp SHIELD for this chapter that I'm excited about! **

**This is my favourite chapter to date.**

* * *

Year One: Mutual Vulnerability

_Wakanda's Royal Training Room - 14:00 PM_

Standing in front of her father, Iqadi ducks when he swipes his arm above her. Crouched forwards, she shoots her elbow back but her father catches it. As an alternative play, now that he has her arm in his grip, Iqadi pounces up. She rotates like a clock and wraps her ankles around his neck. But as she starts to send him down, he disrupts her flow and she staggers off, needing to catch herself in a handstand to get back on her feet.

Of course, he knows her next moves. _He trained her. _

But once Iqadi's back on her feet, she turns to face him. Hands out, mimicking claws despite not wearing the suit, she doesn't act like a panther. Instead, she turns her eyes white and grows a grin.

Her father holds back, mimicking her smile. "Now that's not fair."

Off to the side, Ororo smiles proudly at her daughter. Iqadi is so much like her father even down to the training that it was always beautiful to see her use something she gave her. Beside her, she sees Imanu and isn't sure how he feels. _Was he impressed? Calculated? Concerned? _His face was hard to read since she doesn't know him that well yet.

"My husband's going to make you train like that," Ororo tells him.

"No thanks," Imanu responds. If he refused to fight him once, she didn't expect him to agree later.

"You can't say no forever."

"I know, but I can try for a long time."

Ororo eyes him for a moment before smiling. She puts a hand on his shoulder. "I knew I liked you from the start. Don't change your beliefs."

Taking his focus off of Iqadi and King T'Challa, Imanu looks at Queen Ororo who goes back to watching her husband and daughter spar.

Imanu isn't sure he heard that right. _She liked him from the start._ The start. Maybe that's why he was picked to be a suitor. It reminds him of how nobody knew who Queen Ororo wanted Iqadi to pick as her husband. _But what if she's just being nice?_ She wouldn't have said that beginning part if it wasn't true. She would've just told him the part of his beliefs or kept quiet.

Ororo raises a brow at him as she grins. "My dear son, you have no idea how much my daughter loves you, do you?"

-o-

It's the middle of the night and he's half-asleep. The walk to his room has never felt so long. After watching the training session with Queen Ororo, he dismissed himself to the library and lost himself in a book. He doesn't even remember what he was reading. The words went right over his head because Queen Ororo's words echoed in his mind. Everything from liking him from the start to Iqadi loving him bounced from one end of his skill to the other. It sounded so surreal but his whole life is unbelievable now.

Imanu enters his room and it's dark. _Clearly_. It's nighttime and Iqadi's likely asleep. He turns on the light just enough for him to see around the room but Iqadi turns them up all the way. Imanu freezes for many reasons: he thought she was asleep and she's sitting underneath the sheets with papers around her. Her shoulders are bare and she holds the sheet up at her collarbones.

_She's naked. He's now wide awake_. Imanu isn't sure whether he should look away or come back later.

"Get undressed," Iqadi says.

_Maybe he should come back later_. "What?"

"Trust me." She looks at him for a second. "I won't look if that makes you comfortable."

Imanu hesitates as she lifts the sheets over her eyes. He slowly takes off his clothes and hangs them neatly over the nearest chair. He shivers the closer he gets to his side of the bed and slowly climbs in. When Iqadi feels the sheets being lifted, she eventually peeks over before returning them to being held at her collarbones. Imanu tries to get comfortable but accidentally touches her bare leg with his and his heart stops for a minute.

"This will be a long night," Iqadi says. She noticed the leg thing. "After my training session, my mother told me you went to the library. I would've joined you but I stayed here and studied something else for you."

"Studied what?" Imanu asks.

"Intimacy." She changes her position so that she's facing him. Her legs are crossed and back straight but her hand still at the centre of her collarbones with the sheets in her fist. "The first study I looked at says that sleeping next to each other naked increases the frequency of sex but we don't have to be at that point. We just have to work on being comfortable around each other."

"Nakedness is a person's most vulnerable state," Imanu mutters.

"Exactly."

Iqadi reaches behind her and grabs a stack of cue cards from her bedside table. She fans them out face down between them, each card contains a scribble of writing on the other side.

"This is a Western study exploring if intimacy between two strangers can be accelerated when asking each other a set of personal questions," Iqadi explains. "There are 36 questions that range from least personal to most."

Imanu nods. "What's the goal?"

"Mutual vulnerability fosters closeness. Exposure draws self-disclosure."

"Is that why we're naked?"

"We're technically still covered up but yes."

Imanu nods again slowly, pulling up the sheets. "Okay, I'll try this."

"If you want to stop at any point, just let me know."

"As long as you do the same."

Iqadi's eyes flicker when she looks at him. He knows that she's nervous about this as well since she's also covered up. Biting down on her lips, she keeps her eyes on him as she picks up the first card.

-o-

The first set of questions started as easy. Still covered up, Iqadi and Imanu share some laughs over the casual questions that only reached the surface. It was comforting to have a light conversation. They've never had an icebreaker conversation because they were brought together in a rushed way with marriage as the end goal.

"What would constitute a _perfect_ day for you?" Imanu reads.

Iqadi sighs as she leans back on the headboard. She smiles as she looks at the ceiling. "Not having an agenda. I'd like to choose what to do and when. What would you do?"

"Sleep in," Imanu responds. "Relax and read."

Iqadi raises her head a little. "We could do that tomorrow."

"Don't we both have an agenda?"

"I could reschedule."

He raises a brow. "Would you really?"

Iqadi nods. "I promise." She picks up another card. "Do you have a secret hunch about how you would die?"

Iqadi smiles as she puts the card on her bedside table. She looks at Imanu, waiting for an answer but he's more mortified at that question. Iqadi knew it was in there because she read the study and wrote them down. _And dying in honour was how she was raised._

"Okay, fine, I'll go first." She sits up again, crossing her legs but keeping the blanket up. She looks at Imanu again. "In battle."

Imanu isn't surprised. "I can see that." Realizing what he said, he quickly clears his throat. "It's not that I imagine it because I don't."

Iqadi laughs a little. "Well, I hope you don't. What about you?"

"Old age is nice," Imanu responds. "Or instantly."

"Why instantly?"

"I don't think I'd be able to hold on and watch everyone around me suffer."

"Wow." Iqadi exhales, not expecting that response. "I'd make sure you'd hold on."

"Why?"

"Because I'd suffer." She reaches out and takes his hand. "I will hold on for you because you're not dying on my watch."

Imanu nods. He thinks back to Queen Ororo's words because now he has a better idea of how much Iqadi loves him. _She'd hold onto him _like how she's holding his hand and the bedsheet to her chest. With his free hand, he pulls out the next question.

"If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?" Imanu asks.

Iqadi scoffs. "More freedom."

"More confidence."

Without any comments, they stop and look at each other. Imanu puts the question down on the bed as he waits for Iqadi to say or do something. _But nothing. _Instead, she straightens her posture more although it was already erect. She lets go of the blanket in her grip at her collarbones and it drops. With her bare chest now revealed, Iqadi completely climbs out from the covers and sits on top. _Nothing again but in a different sense._

Imanu isn't sure where to look. _She's beautiful everywhere._ Her skin is smooth but he can see healed scars from training or battles. But his eyes land on the scar near her hairline on her forehead because that was the one he did back when she was protecting him and the others suitors during the Gorilla Tribe's ambush. Her body shakes a little and he puts his hand on her knee to try and reassure her. She looks there, pauses, and puts her hand on top.

_She's doing this more for him than herself. That's who she is. And she wouldn't say if she wanted to stop because that's who she is._ In the spirit of mutual vulnerability, he pushes the blankets off his body and sits up across from her. They look into each other's eyes, hearts racing, breaths through a desirable tension. _Freedom. Confidence._ This is it. This is mutual vulnerability.

"You know, we're supposed to do the staring at the end," Iqadi whispers.

Imanu nods. "Alright."

"But if you want to stare now, I won't stop you." She smiles a little when his eyes widen. "Because I'll be staring at you."

-o-

It took them a few minutes to get back into a rhythm of asking questions. They were getting deeper and more personal but it didn't matter since they were already naked in front of each other. They got lost in the questions, unaware of how much time went by because they weren't keeping track. It was the middle of the night but they were more awake than at the start.

Iqadi didn't regret this. _She was scared he wouldn't want to do it or pull out halfway through._ But he seemed to be enjoying it more than he thought. Iqadi has never opened up like this to anyone before, not even her friends or family. Being grown up to keep things to herself, she never had the opportunity. She and Imanu got so lost in conversation that they sometimes forgot they were doing the questions _and that they were naked as well_.

Now they're lying on their backs, closer in their bed than they've ever been since the got married.

"Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner," Imanu reads before folding up the card. "Share five items."

"You think before you act," Iqadi says, starting right away. She turns her head to face him.

He looks back. "You speak your mind."

"You stand by your beliefs."

"You stand by your loved ones."

"You would do anything to please me."

"You see value in me."

"You helped me with those plans."

"You are powerful but don't abuse it."

"You are still here."

"You want me here."

Iqadi's body shakes a little and she wants to go back under the sheets. She looks back up at the ceiling and holds her breath. She knows that if she breathes, she'll inhale through a growing cry. Iqadi knows that he's still timid and uncomfortable to be here. _Sentiments that she gave him. Sentiments that she asked him to be a part of because she fell in love_. Iqadi knows that he has doubts about his capabilities but he's still here and she still wants him here. They're still learning about their potential separately and together.

Without looking, Iqadi gets another card. She starts to read it but has to blink out tears. As they roll down her temple, she feels Imanu wipe away the side closest to him. She slightly turns to face him and wipes the other eye. _Who would've thought she'd be the one to cry first?_

"Do you want to stop?" Imanu whispers. _How did she deserve him?_

"Of all the people in your family," she reads as her answer. _She could've kept listing his positive traits if he didn't end with that one._ "Whose death would you find the most disturbing? Why?"

Imanu pauses and Iqadi takes a moment to collect herself and put the card away. _Out of all the questions to transition into…_ This had to be the one she wanted to exclude the most from the set.

"How do you want to answer this one?" Imanu asks.

"We could say it at the same time," Iqadi suggests.

"Alright."

Iqadi holds up three fingers. She waits a moment before lowering one and another. When there's one left, she waits longer because she has to think about an answer. Before she married Imanu, her family were her parents. She knew that they could die at any time because life is unpredictable and they were in charge of a militaristic country that has enemies within its own borders. But now, she has Imanu and his family. _So who in that bunch would be the most disturbing? And why?_

She lowers the last finger into her fist.

"Myself," she and Imanu answer at the same time.

Shocked by the other's answers, they turn to face each other. They didn't expect the person next to them to say themselves. Out of everything, including the nakedness, this is the purest and mutualist of all vulnerabilities. Talking about their disturbing deaths in the dark was something they never thought they'd be doing. The tension they had when they first fully exposed themselves.

"You first," Imanu says.

"If I died now, my parents would be destroyed. They almost were when we were ambushed when you were still a suitor. Wakanda would have no heir. What about you?"

"Before I married you, my family was barely getting by until I started in the mines. And then we had a steady income. If I died then, which could've happened down there at any given moment, what happens to my family?"

Iqadi's mouth goes dry. She would've said that she would be there for his family but if they weren't married, she wouldn't know them. _She wouldn't even be aware that it happened. But why would she have cared then since she didn't know him?_ Iqadi now understands why he said he would die instantly to avoid watching his family suffer over him.

Imanu takes another card. "Should I continue?"

"Please," Iqadi responds.

"Share a personal problem and ask your partner for advice on how they might handle it." Imanu puts the card away. "I'll start. Why did you choose me?"

Iqadi turns to face him. "I'll handle this _problem_ of yours by countering with another question. Why did you say yes?"

Imanu looks away for a second. Iqadi lies on her side, resting on her elbow and holding her head up. She waits for him to answer but she won't probe. _She has never been more curious about anything until now. _The questions on the cards were nothing compared to the last two they asked each other off-script.

"I fell in love," Imanu admits.

"With your princess or with me?" She asks.

"With the humanized version of the princess I grew up reading and hearing about." He copies her position and is now on his side. "Now you answer. Why did you choose me?"

Iqadi grins a little. "Because you're someone I want to lead Wakanda with."

-o-

"The study said the participants stared at each other for four minutes," Iqadi says after they finished the last question.

"Do you have a timer?" Imanu asks.

"No."

"That's odd. You're not prepared."

Iqadi can't argue that. She should've brought one. "I honestly didn't think we'd make it this far."

"Good point." He lies back, resting a hand on his chest. "So are we going to count -?"

"Nope." She sits up, facing him and crossing her legs. "Come here. We're going to stare at each other and see what happens."

Imanu agrees, mimicking her position. "So, why four minutes?"

"Two minutes is terrifying," Iqadi says, thinking back to the study. "Four minutes go somewhere."

"Like where?"

"I guess we'll find out."

And they start.

Sitting silently, they almost forget to breathe. When they remember, their breaths are soft and quick. They try to keep their staring restricted to the eyes but sometimes they break if off by looking down or behind the other person. But they would come into contact again.

Time didn't matter this whole moment so why bother counting for four minutes? It could've already passed but neither stopped to call it a night. There was a strange comfort in just looking at each other after all the questions. It's an intimacy found in mutual vulnerability.

If there was one thing they learned about each other, it's that their upbringings are more similar than they think. They've grown up on a path their families put them on and they did it for the future. Sometimes, they didn't put themselves into consideration but they never complained. _It was for people they love._ Along the way from their first meeting, they've seen each other break out of habits and learn bits and pieces of the real person. Surely, there's still more to discover but they've only been married for four months. They have all the time in the world.

_Forget the minutes._ Four months is when things go somewhere.

_And now Imanu knows where._

Out of passion, he leans in and kisses her, holding her by the back of her head. Iqadi tenses a little and he pulls back. Their eyes meet again, his showing concern and hers in shock. _He knows he shouldn't have done that but he can't take it back_. Before he could apologize, Iqadi smiles a little. She nods and he hesitates before kissing her again. She takes a moment to relax and she leans back to pull him on top of her.

* * *

** You can find this study online. We looked at it in, I think, two of my classes.**


	24. Year One: The Perfect Day

**I was in a bad mood because of a French test so I decided to come here for joy. And now my town is currently like _The Purge_ so that means I can frequently update for a bit.**

* * *

Year One: The Perfect Day

_Wakanda's Palace - 13:20 PM_

Imanu wakes up confused in his own bed. Iqadi isn't beside him, he's completely naked, he's lying horizontally, and there are cue cards everywhere. He picks one up, glances at the writing (which his eyes needed a few moments to adjust to), and remembers everything that happened last night or even _a few hours ago_. _He never kept track of the time last night, did he? Did Iqadi? _His mind flashes through every moment of mutual vulnerability. The questions, the answers, the touching, the exposure, the kissing, the - _what time is it?_

"I see you're finally awake."

Imanu turns and sees Iqadi waking out of the bathroom in a robe. By the looks of it, she didn't wake up that long ago and just showered. She pulls out a set of fresh pyjamas from his dresser and tosses it on him. He looks at them funny because they're not day clothes and he can see the sun outside. It had to be the middle of the morning or early afternoon.

"I woke up about thirty minutes ago," Iqadi says with a smile he can hear in her voice.

"Don't we have stuff to do?" Imanu asks.

"No." Iqadi smiles wildly as she sits on the edge of the bed. "Well, yes."

"You're contradicting yourself."

"I know." She puts a hand on his chest. "Tell me a book you want to read and I'll have an attendant get it."

"What?"

"It's your perfect day."

Imanu is speechless because that was one of the questions from last night. _An early one, if he's not mistaken._ His perfect day consists of relaxing and reading and hers is to have no agenda. And that's what she has planned for today. Her _no agenda_ is his agenda and that makes his heart flutter.

"Oh, Iqadi…" Imanu mutters. "Don't you have things to do or -?"

"Nope." She puts her hands on her hips. "I cancelled everything. I'm taking a personal day with you and for you. It hurts a bit to walk but last night was phenomenal."

Imanu sits up a little. "Did you say it hurt?"

"It's not a big deal."

"Iqadi, is it a big deal."

"Imanu, the study was beyond successful and it will get better with time. When I told you that I wanted to rule Wakanda with you, it was for different reasons but you're absolutely amazing."

Imanu kisses her again and she holds him by the shoulders. _This is the perfect day. _

-o-

_Camp SHIELD - 15:21 PM_

"We have to finish this quickly," Angela tells him. "They moved up our training sessions."

"Oh, _good_!" James exclaims sarcastically. "Get the almost-dying done earlier."

"I have to go mountain scaling."

"I have to jump out of a plane."

Angela smirks down at him, pausing. "Wanna trade?"

"No. I'd rather go down than up."

"Why's that?"

"Because you'd already be heading down. If you go up, you'd still have to get down."

"Speaking of, I'm good to dismount."

Before James could interject, Angela climbs off of him and picks up her clothes from the floor. She rushes to put on her training uniform because she has a mountain to run to. _But she knows she'll still make it early. _Angela quickly twists her hair into a bun. Some strands fall out but she could fix it at the bottom of the mountain.

James looks up from her bunk. "You could've at least told me to prep a parachute."

"Next time, babe." She winks at him.

James grins and starts getting dressed as well. He puts on his hands and helps her hook her bra _which he enjoyed taking off._

-o-

James stands in the middle of an airplane, soaring high above the sky. He's wearing a standardized SHIELD jumpsuit equipped with a helmet, goggles, empty gun holsters, and most important, a parachute. _The shell of a real agent. _He stands in the middle of a lineup on the shaky aircraft and jumps out with the others on command. _At least the plane's turbulences hide his shivers_. But he's done this once before with his friends and, although he blocked out the memory - he doesn't know where he's going with that thought.

He only knows he's going down.

The sky is dark and rain has started to pour. _It was just sunny. What the hell? _He's going to be sick. Fog appears and he rolls his eyes, not even knowing if he'll be landing on the flat ground or an ocean (although, knowing SHIELD, he wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter). His money is on the ground because they're in Ohio. _Or maybe a corn field._

"Open!" Their professor orders.

The landing door closes once they're out and the next set of orders goes over James's head. He goes through the motions and follows his classmates. Next thing he knows, he's in the air with an open parachute. The memories come back and they seem pleasant.

_His friends all took the jump and they were soaring. Actually, maybe Merida pushed him out. But they were all in it together. _

The rain starts to pour harder and thunder rumbles the sky. In a commercial setting, skydiving would've been cancelled. But this is Camp SHIELD. They live by a motto of: _you'll one day be in way worse situations if you even make it to graduation_. Kind of inspiring, the more he thinks about it.

When lightning cracks the sky, some recruits gasp because lightning was _right_ there and one screams from pure fear because _lightning was right there!_

"Who screamed?!" Their professor demands.

James bites down on his lips and is prepared to deny the fact that he screamed up to his deathbed, especially since there would be a punishment he never wants: damage to his ego. He makes a mental reminder to himself to confront Apollo and/or Iqadi about the lightning the next time he sees either of them. Mostly Apollo. Iqadi would never do such a thing.

At least nobody ratted him out.

Note to self: _he should've traded._

Or_: he should've stopped her from dismounting and gone another round. _

-o-

Daniel's walking over to the lab when he feels something vibrate in his pocket. First guess is his phone. His only doubt lies in the fact that they haven't had service for weeks. _Maybe it's a phantom vibration due to insanity._ But when he takes out his phone, there's a text message and a single bar of service in the corner.

_Yes!_ He never knew he needed service so badly until the jet that brought them here landed.

He opens the message without even reading it and quickly texts back a _get me out of here_ message. And he hits send. _Was it his parents?_ Possibly. _Was it Emily?_ Hopefully. (He only anticipates his fiancée more because she would actually save him from this dreaded nature trip with a helicopter and designer heels. His parents would say to have fun). Worst-case scenario, it's an old message from his Academy group chat with his friends and he sent an SOS to people who can't do anything.

And he loses service.

Cursing to himself, Daniel takes the time to finally read the message he responded to. It ends up being his provider reminding him to pay his cell phone bill. For a second, he thinks that they'll save him only so he pays his bill.

* * *

** That middle part with James jumping out of the plane came from ****_PNG_****. It was edited to better fit this chapter.**


	25. Year One: Favours Paid, Favours Made

**This is a fun chapter. **

* * *

Year One: Favours Paid, Favours Made

_Camp SHIELD - 17:57 PM_

Xavier got used to waking up early, following a more structured routine, being away from home, and the extra workload to read and on his body. He even adjusted to sharing a room and having a new _bestie_ who was a complete weirdo he couldn't get enough of. Socializing, as always, was difficult. With his friends, they all fell together naturally. New people were hard to navigate. Hell, he couldn't talk to Britney like a normal person for the longest time _because she wasn't normal_.

But now he's a wingman which isn't completely new territory for him because he's heard locker room stories about his former football teammates getting each other dates. It's land he doesn't want to cross since he doesn't know what he's doing or which direction to go in.

He feels something vibrate in his pocket. _His phone?_ It couldn't be since there was no service but he had nothing else on him. He wasn't even sure why he carried his phone if he couldn't use it for its main purposes. But when Xavier takes it out, he couldn't believe his eyes.

There's one bar of service. Missed text messages and calls were coming through. He never felt so grateful for his social life.

And he sees a message from Emily. _Matchmaker Emily_. He takes the risk on calling her. Xavier holds the phone to his ear. He hears the dial tone going through but that doesn't guarantee it'll be a good call or that Emily will pick up.

_Emily: Oh good, you're still alive. _

Xavier smiles. Of course, his call with Emily is when he has perfect reception. As if Emily had it any different.

_Emily: See this is why I didn't go to the Academy. They're making you suffer. _

"I miss you too," Xavier says. "Where are you?"

_Emily: Florence. Heading to Milan. What about you?_

"Ohio."

He laughs when Emily does because it's true. She gets Florence and Milan with no schedule to follow while he's in the middle of nowhere.

_Emily: What's in Ohio?_

"Absolutely nothing." He sighs. "Look, I got myself into something and I need advice."

_Emily: Must be bad if you're coming to me for help._

"I became a wingman."

The other line is quiet and, for a moment, Xavier thought he lost service. He looks at his phone and sees the call still going with that little service. When he puts the phone back to his ear, Emily's laughter almost makes him drop it.

_Emily: Xavier, the only wingman I see you being is growing wings and flying. _

"Same, so help me out."

_Emily: Well, take a look at what you know. Within us, we dated within our friend group. Just get them to hang out in a group setting and if they hit it off, they'll hang out on their own. _

Xavier nods the more he thinks about it. "Stark, you're a genius."

_Emily: Rogers, come up with better compliments._

-o-

Sometime later, Xavier finds Orchid leaving the dining hall. He approaches her with a big smile and she's excited to see him because she has a hunch on his news.

"After today's session, I asked Brody if he wanted to hang out with us," Xavier says. "He said at 9, after everyone's last class."

"Really?!" Orchid exclaims. She's about to burst out of joy. "Xavier, oh my god, how did you do it?"

Xavier shrugs with a grin on his face. "It's a guy thing."

"So you'll be there?"

"Sort of. Look, I don't want to be a potential third wheel but I don't want to leave you alone."

"No, no, you have to join us." She lights up with an idea. "Invite someone else to keep you company."

"Or…" Xavier pauses. "I could have two more people go in my place while I lurk from the shadows."

"What? But you don't know that many people."

"Wow, rude. I'll prove you wrong."

-o-

He should give up and suffer from being a third wheel. If Emily was here, she would've joined him. But as he heads over to his next class, he sees Merida talking with Brody. Xavier stands there for a minute, wondering if his eyes are deceiving him. He realizes they're not once Merida's standing right in front of him.

"How do you know Brody?" Xavier asks.

"Everyone knows _The Brodster_," Merida responds. "But I barely do. We just hate the same professor. What about you?"

"Same weight class," Xavier responds. "I will see you later."

"Okay," Merida says as Xavier runs off.

He has an idea and two hours to execute it.

-o-

"Time to pay up," Xavier says, waking right into Ashton's cabin.

For the whole duration of Camp SHIELD, Ashton and Xavier weren't put in the same cabin. Actually, most of the roommates were split up. But that didn't matter much since they knew where the other was and would see each other again when they returned to campus.

"Wow," Ashton states dramatically, "I barely see you for a few weeks and now you come to see me when you need something."

Xavier smiles. "Exactly."

"I would've done the same if I needed something. Pay for what?"

"For that double date."

Ashton pauses. "I forgot that happened."

"And I almost forgot you owed me."

"Okay, I'll embody you and not even ask what it is before agreeing. You know, just so we're on the same playing field. What do you want me to do?"

"It's more of a hangout or maybe a not-double-date."

"Nice. Same value in our transaction. With whom?"

"Brody, Orchid, and I can't confirm the third party."

"It's not you? C'mon, it'll help you socialize."

Xavier rolls his eyes. _Why is everyone like this to him?_ "I'll be there in spirit."

"Fine, just provide the not-date for me."

Xavier groans but doesn't argue. Ashton has better game than him so couldn't he pick someone? _He also knows more people! _But whatever. Xavier can handle this. He's handled much worse. Whether it was losing a football game in the final half or high school graduation, he won after powering through.

And he got some of the best advice from the very best. Everything happened within _their friend group…_

-o-

"I didn't even say what it was!" Xavier screams as Merida runs away from him.

"I've heard enough!" Merida screams back.

Xavier has an hour before the outing so he begins chasing her through camp. He has a greater speed advantage but she's _Merida Barton_. She knows how to outsmart him. Xavier runs onto the open field and sees many training sessions occurring at once. He scans every face as much as he can. The perk to Merida outsmarting him is that he can solve her. She would blend in with a class.

Xavier looks at the weights and knows she wouldn't be there because she won't throw a barbell at him. She won't be with the push-ups or pull-ups because those are stagnant. Merida would pick something in constant motion so that when he spots her red hair, _like in the class running the track_, she'll have a getaway since she's already running. When he finally spots her bouncing curls that she had no time to hide, he jogs over.

"Okay, look," Xavier says once he's beside Merida. "I called Emily and she said -"

"Emily put you up to this?" Merida questions. "Oh, I'm gonna kill her."

"She didn't." Xavier stops her on the track and the rest of the class groans when they have to run around them. "Look, hear me out."

"What? You're making me socialize for you while you lurk in the corner. That's not how people or socializing work."

"You just want to be the one lurking but I'm the wingman!"

"Same shit." She huffs, putting her hands on her hips. "Let's make a deal. If you manage to come up with five words that'll convince me to do this, I will."

Xavier groans. He doesn't have time for this. _And only five words?_ Not fair. But he takes a moment to think because he can spare a minute before resorting to a plan B he doesn't have. Little does Merida know that when she's angry like this, she doesn't think straight. They've known each other for eighteen years so he knows just the right words to get her hanging out with Ashton, Brody, and Orchid.

"I'll be in your debt," Xavier says.

Merida's face twitches in disbelief before smiling. _She couldn't believe he came up with five words that quick._ But he's happy. Xavier doesn't like those words because, as mentioned, he's known Merida for eighteen years. _God, she's going to make him hide a body._ Hopefully, it's not Ashton's.

"You're going to regret that," Merida warns.

"But you won't regret this outing."

Merida scoffs in disgust. "You sound like my parents who want me to make new friends."

"Mine said the same."

-o-

It's a little after nine and Merida saunters over to the recreation centre where she sees Orchid, Brody, and Ashton. As she heads over, she thinks about Xavier now being in her debt. If Xavier didn't come up with five words, then she would've done it for free. _It's not like she had any plans._ And if she was lucky, she would hear stories of Brody wrestling kangaroos.

"Call this a date and Xavier will hide your body," Merida says to Ashton as she walks up beside him.

Ashton pauses. "I wasn't going to."

"Good." She takes a seat between Ashton and Orchid. Brody sits on Orchid's other side. It's quiet and Merida doesn't want to sit here in awkward silence. "So, what's up?"

After a group conversation about their dreaded Camp SHIELD experiences and life on campus, they started talking about their lives back home. Ashton and Merida realize that they had nothing to say when Orchid and Brody started talking about the animals back home. The two city/suburbia people had nothing to say about goats or wallabies; maybe subway rats or bears.

So Merida pulled out one of Daniel's notepads from her pocket. _Don't tell him that she took one._ She opens to a fresh page and takes out a pen. When she begins writing, Ashton looks over and she doesn't tell him to mind his business.

"What are you writing?" Ashton asks her.

"A list of ways Xavier can pay me back for being here," Merida says. She taps the pen on her chin. "It's harder than I thought to come up with."

Ashton isn't sure what to say for a moment. " … not the weirdest outing I've been on. What do you have so far?"

Merida clears her throat as she leans over to show him. "Convince Angela to go home for the weekend so I get the dorm to myself, have him pay for the gas in my car for a month, give me his meal plan -"

"I like the first option."

"Why?"

"Well, Angela will make Xavier drive her back if he's convincing her to go, so I'd get the dorm for the weekend."

Merida nods, drawing a star on the first line. "Noted."

-o-

From a distance not too far, Xavier is watching them. He can barely hear what they're saying but Orchid and Brody are laughing and getting close. _He picked up something about animals and he's not surprised. _Xavier's proud of his work. Orchid is no longer the awkward girl she was when she first saw Brody. _Wow, she should've gone to him when he was getting Britney. _And even Merida and Ashton weren't bored. Well, he knew Ashton wouldn't be bored. Merida looks like she's plotting something against him.

"You look like a creep."

Xavier looks to the side and sees Daniel taking a seat beside him.

"What are you doing?" Daniel asks.

"I'm a wingman," Xavier responds. "Didn't you hear?"

"I thought I dreamt that."

Xavier tries not to be offended. "See, I can be Matchmaker Emily."

"I'm proud of you."

"Emily said to put them in a group setting and they'll hit it off on their own. And look, they're smiling and laughing. It's a great time."

"I figured she said that."

"Why wouldn't you believe I said that?"

"Because I've known you for eighteen years." Daniel smiles when Xavier can't refute that. He looks over at Xavier's wingman success and tilts his head a little when he can't believe something. "Does Merida have my notepad?"

"Maybe you're dreaming it."

"Shh…" Daniel says, waving Xavier off. "I'm watching this."

Xavier looks back. He knows that Daniel couldn't care less about the masterpiece Xavier set up. _It's his notepad that matters. _

"So you've known Xavier for forever, right?" Ashton asks Merida.

"Yup," Merida responds without looking up from her paper.

"Got any embarrassing stories about him?"

Merida looks up and closes the notepad. Interest creeps on her face through wide eyes and a matching toothless smile. " … pick an age."

Daniel laughs as Xavier's face drops. A bitter pit in his stomach ties into knots as he watches Merida talk with such animation.

"Oh, Merida was right…" Xavier mutters. "I regret everything."

"Matchmaker Emily wouldn't have made that mistake," Daniel says. _He's enjoying this_.

"Shut up."

"At least you don't have that many embarrassing stories."

"That implies that I still have some."

"Because you do. You probably have _the least_ out of all of us, which is still a lot. Should I join them and share one?"

"No!"

* * *

**That not-date double date is the starting point for an amazing group chat to come.**


	26. Year One: Scientists vs Specialists

**I almost titled this chapter ****_Sci-Tech vs. Operations_**** because those are the name of the programs, but it didn't have a nice ring to it.**

* * *

Year One: Scientists vs. Specialists

_Camp SHIELD - 13:03 PM_

Another tradition at Camp SHIELD was the rivalry between Sci-Tech and Operation. It was a feud that dated to the earliest days of The Academy. Nobody knew why it started or why nobody bothered to defuse it, but nobody cared. It was just a harmless prank war to prove superiority over the Academy. _Brains vs. brawn. _

And since Camp SHIELD was soon coming to a close, when better to start the war?

Daniel sits on his bunk. In his cabin, a lot of his fellow Sci-Tech classmates sit amongst the room. In the front, a classmate stands in front of a whiteboard because they didn't have access to a holo-table. _Damn that prerequisite course that wasn't available for them till next year. _So they're stuck with using whiteboards and dry-erase markers. Whatever. They can still write and come up with better pranks.

"Survival of the fittest doesn't work during mass extinctions," the classmate at the board says. "If we looked at the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction, specialists die off. So maybe we should play to that angle."

"Operations isn't worth the apocalypse," someone else says.

"And aren't we more of the specialists?" Daniel questions. All eyes are now on him. "Sure, Operations kids get the title, but we pick a branch of science or technology to focus on and get a Ph.D. They learn everything offered. If we're focusing on survival of the fittest, the generalists survive because they could adapt."

Everyone's quiet. They look at Daniel like a computer processing new information. After a minute, he gets a collective _shut up_ which makes him smile.

-o-

For the same goal of proving campus power, the Operations kids had the dining hall. To them, this was already a victory since Sci-Tech was confined to a dorm. Instead of having any apparatus to write their possible strategies, they're just going to toss ideas around and pick the most efficient and funniest. Those criteria will render them victors in this non-official contest.

"Why don't we include Communications?" James asks.

Nobody has an answer. Not even any nearby professors or counsellors. Ever since the feud arose, Communications stayed in their lane. It never interfered and nobody dragged them in. Besides, they're likely just graphing information, reviewing case studies or writing spoken-word poetry. They never posed a threat _which was a secret reason why they remained untouched_.

"They seem like hippies," James adds.

Angela pulls him close and whispers, "Britney was raised by communications agents."

_That shuts him right up. _James shivers, thinking back to how batshit crazy Britney was. Forget every preconceived notion he had about the third program at the Academy, they're better off at their poetry nights and bar graphs.

"Maybe we should make an alliance," James suggests.

-o-

Early the next morning, the boys in Operations were fresh out of the shower and dressed for their morning of rigorous training. They walk around their cabin, warming up for warm-ups because their professors yell at them for being so weak. _But that's when protein shakes come in handy_. Shake-makers are plugged in and whirring. Everyone needs that protein boost and energy spike for the regimen or else they will die before nine in the morning.

Xavier's bunkmate hands him a glass. Although he doesn't need it, he accepts the offer. Apparently, it's a non-verbal Operations act of kindness when someone gives you a portion of their protein shake. It's actually nice, the more Xavier thinks about it.

Until he tastes it.

Xavier gags and, for a moment, he thought he was being rude but other guys in the cabin start coughing in disgust. There was something grainy and unsettling about his and he can't pinpoint the problem. He watched them make the shakes so there wasn't anything bizarre added.

"Give me that," Xavier says.

He looks at all the containers of their protein powers and opens them all. He and some other boys look at the individual powders and only notice now that there's something off in the texture and, for some, the scent. The guys look at each other hesitant about whether they should try it. _It couldn't be lethal, right?_ They tasted it for a second in the shakes and they're still here.

Fuck it.

Xavier pinches some into his mouth and he pauses. _Were these drugs?_ Because this isn't how you take them. But then the taste changes into something earthy and nutty. It's familiar to something he's rarely had before. _He almost forgot it existed since he left home. _This shake almost made his home experiences palatable.

"This is chickpea flour," Xavier states, wiping his hands on his uniform.

"Mine's icing sugar," Brody adds.

And others start listing the other powder replacements were. Some had salt, crushed sprinkles, powdered cookies, other flours, etc. _Xavier's jealous he didn't get the cookies or sprinkles. Maybe he would've noticed anything strange._ But this isn't cool. Everyone knew that it was those Sci-Tech kids who swapped their protein powders. Now, they're angry and not sustained for their training. _Their professors will kill them._

Some phones go off, turning out to be messages from the Operations girls. They had the same issue with their protein powder and were desperate for revenge on _those nerds_.

Even Xavier is on board for it. Everything would be _harmless_ and it follows Camp SHIELD tradition. _He drank chickpea flour_, of all things.

"How do you know about chickpea flour?" Brody asks as the boys start getting ready for the day.

"My sister's a baker," Xavier responds.

"Damn, that's lucky."

"She's vegan."

"...oh, I'm so sorry."

"They could've given us crack," someone points out optimistically.

Brody scoffs. "Please, we get drug-tested randomly. Besides, if we get caught with drugs, it'll get traced to them because where would we get it from? And we're not stupid enough to _all_ take it, especially Rogers."

"Not to mention that we mysteriously have drugs and they have our protein powders? It won't add up," Xavier adds. Then, he has an idea. "How about we get something they'll need?"

-o-

The rain poured outside but that didn't cancel class. Everyone, including professors, was on Camp SHIELD so there was no excuse for absences. It didn't help that class was only a few trees away. _Just run under the foliage if you didn't pack an umbrella_. It also didn't help that the storm clouds were so dark that it might as well be night-time. The lights in the cabins and dining hall kept on flickering. Everyone begged for the power to go out because in Sci-Tech, they didn't have to run a mile in a storm. _But Apollo and Iqadi didn't hear James's prayers so he still had to go to class._

To his delight, this was the one day James didn't complain. He flew here at top speed under the foliage, remaining completely dry. He was even early enough to get a front-row seat. His professor thought something was wrong because he was here (and here early) but James shrugs. He only came because he wanted to see the masterpiece Operations came up with as a revenge prank.

As classmates poured in, some soaking wet from the rain, James watches his professor look through the cabinets for their materials. He searches and re-searches, grunting in frustration when he can't find what he needs. James smiles to himself as the professor makes his way to the front. It didn't help that the lights were still flickering and it was dark outside.

"So," he starts, "those damned Operations kids snagged what we need and left us with the solar-powered objects."

James smiles as everyone gasps and curses those _protein-pumping monsters_. " … wow, that's mean."

James saw this prank coming because he was in Operations and knew their strategies (and vice versa) but he played dumb. He only showed up to class to see everyone's reaction and have class cancelled because they had no materials. _Worst-case scenario, they end up trying mental math._ If that was the case, he would sneak out and not come back. _But only after he figures out Sci-Tech's next move on Operations._

-o-

Weight Class B got a break from running laps and got to lifting weights. The only issue is that they couldn't _lift_ the weights. It was weird when they walked in and all the weights were off their racks and spread out across the floor. What was weirder was the strange colourful foam between the weights and the ground. The professor tapped one with her toes and it didn't budge. When she bends over to try and lift it, it doesn't move. Merida bites down on her smile. _It reminds her of that time when she and her friends took turns trying to lift Thor's hammer. None of them succeeded_.

The professor sighs. "Damn Sci-Tech kids. I bet it took five of them to move one weight, and not that far. Whatever. Alright, class, new plan. Instead of lifting sets, you'll be attempting to remove these weights from the ground. Whoever succeeds gets one set removed from the drills the next time we return to campus. But don't get a hernia. That pain isn't worth an extra five minutes of strength-building."

The class disperses, cursing out Sci-Tech and plotting their next plan.

"What is this?" Orchid asks as she attempts prying a kettlebell. "It looks like hardened dish soap."

"Polyurethane foam spray," Ashton responds, working on removing a dumbbell. "It's a great adhesive."

Orchid pauses to stare at him. Merida does the same. _How the hell does he know that? _They're not diminishing his intelligence, they're only questioning it.

"How did you know that?" Orchid asks.

"I'm in_ one_ science class," Ashton responds. "It's something in chemistry."

"To get the stupid but mandatory credit?"

"Yup."

"дерьмо," Merida curses, "I still have to get mine." She shrugs. "Whatever, I still have three years."

The three of them stop attempting their weights. They look around and see some of their classmates trying to break the foam. That might be a smarter idea, but it was also longer. Maybe they needed more strength to get the weights off the ground. The trio looks at a vacant barbell and dart over. Each of them grasps the metal bar and adjust their stance. _Nobody wanted a hernia over this. Sci-Tech will never hear the end of it._

"On my count," Merida states.

-o-

"Those assholes."

It was stupid of them to write this equation on the board and leave the door unlocked. They could've written it on a tablet but all the good tech was left at the Academy. And they had more control over a dry-erase marker. But they shouldn't have left this equation alone because some Operations kids came in and tampered with it. And they were smart about it too. They didn't erase a line across the board, run their fingers through it or remove a line. Sci-Tech isn't sure what they did but it was obvious yet subtle. One variable in an equation that took two whiteboards to prove was made negative and modified from that point forward to make sense.

If nobody looked at the board upon entry, they wouldn't have noticed. But they decided to _double-check_ their work and that's when they realized something was wrong.

Daniel, in a room of four other people as smart as him, can't figure it out. They didn't think those jocks had it in them.

"Oh, this is evil," Daniel states.

"How so?" Someone asks.

"They didn't just mess it all up, they made it cancel itself out."

Tensions rise in the room. The last thing any of them want is to erase the whole thing. It took them all of yesterday to solve it. _Sure, they glued Operations' weights to the ground and swapped their protein powders_ but those were different. This act is initiating war.

" … fuck them."

-o-

As the Romeo and Juliet love child, James always knew when an attack would happen. Some he wanted to see whereas others he wanted to hide. That way, he always remained safe. _Bless bridging programs._ During the current battle, he sits on a tree branch just on the edge of camp. He has his AirPods in and music playing, but he can still hear the cries and curses from every student out there.

* * *

**This will be the only prank war chapter but I enjoyed writing it. For more pranks, wait till year three.**


	27. Year One: Seven Figures

**I have finished my first paper in quarantine so that is why this chapter is up. Two more to go.**

**Someone special appears in the end. I think I hinted at her first appearing in a different chapter but plans change. Besides, it now foreshadows something exciting for year three. **

* * *

Year One: Seven Figures

_Camp SHIELD - 11:42 AM_

"Don't you have class now?" Angela asks James when she sees him in the recreation centre.

James stares at his girlfriend with a blank face. _Did he have a class now? _He isn't sure because he doesn't know what day it is. All of Camp SHIELD was a blur to him and he was just going through the motions. _Especially when he had to do physical activity. _The only classes he knew he had to go to were the ones with Daniel _because he would get dragged. _For his other classes, he wasn't sure.

All he knows is that Camp SHIELD is almost over. He already has his bag packed.

Orchid approaches them with an apple in her hand. "Class ended early because the concrete floor was drenched in sweat. Apparently, it was _dangerous_."

James nods. "Yeah, that."

Angela glares at James. _She knows he wasn't even there. _But maybe James was smart enough to predict a class cancellation. She wouldn't be surprised if that's the case but now James looks pleased that he didn't waste his time going to class.

"What's up, Orchid?" Angela asks.

"Xavier told me to come to you for advice," Orchid responds. "He told me that this wasn't his territory."

"What couldn't be his territory more than wingman duties?"

"So I hooked up with Brody and it was beyond amazing - I could tell you _all about it_ later - but I told him I was seeing other people because that's what girls in my cabin said to do. Apparently, it makes you look more desirable and casual. You know, no strings attached. But he didn't say if _he_ was seeing anyone!"

"Guys don't do that," James says before Angela glares at him. "Or so I've heard."

" … now I know why Xavier had no advice," Angela responds.

_As if her brother knew anything about romantic relationships outside of Britney. _Sometimes she wonders why all the boys in her life were idiots, even Daniel on the rare occasion and especially Apollo whenever he breathes. If she had to pick, Imanu's the smartest.

Orchid groans as she sits down next to James. "I think I fucked up."

"At least you fucked Brody first," James responds.

"James!" Angela exclaims.

"What?"

"You have a point but _not now_."

James looks at Orchid. "Look, just hook up again. Once you become _exclusive_ in that sense, if that's even what you both want, then you can try for something serious. Does he even want something serious?"

Orchid shrugs.

"Do you want something serious?" Angela asks.

Orchid shrugs again.

-o-

_Milan, Italy - 19:30 PM_

The sun sets over the small corner shop café. A light breeze brushes over patrons who sit outside with their evening coffee and company. In the corner table to herself, she wears sunglasses to block the evening rays from hitting her eyes. It also keeps her incognito because her photos already been taken around the country. Her espresso is now cold, lipstick printed on the rim of the cup, and pastry half-eaten but she answers her ringing cell phone with a grin.

"Hello, Fury."

_Fury: Emily Stark._

Emily crosses one leg over the other as she leans back in her chair. She picks up her pastry and takes another bite, flicking off the few crumbs that land on her jacket with her perfect nails.

"How are you?"

_Fury: Finally, you answer your damn phone. _

Emily laughs. "I've been busy."

_Fury: The headlines say different._

Emily can't argue that. Every morning, she would wake up with a news alert of a sighting of her in Italy. People thrived from seeing her after spending years living a seemingly normal teenage high school life. She missed those days because she was with her friends and they didn't treat her like _Emily Stark_. She was just Emily Stark. But now there are headlines of where she is at every hour and who she was with. Whether she was sightseeing, shopping or walking around town, she smiled at cameras. As flattering as every picture is with the reminder of what she did and wore the day before, she misses the privacy. _But she's flattered that Fury is keeping up with her. _She didn't think he spared a thought on her since she didn't attend the Academy.

"Ha," Emily states as a laugh. "So, what's happening in SHIELD or the Academy that you've been calling me for?" _Because why else would he be calling?_

_Fury: The Administration of the Academy wants to know your plans for your unused scholarship and Apollo's and Britney's. _

Emily raises a brow. _Of course, he didn't want to catch up with her._ It was for business purposes. Since Emily, Apollo, and Britney didn't use their scholarships, Emily chose to handle them (with the latter two's blessings, of course). Truth be told, she still wasn't sure what to do with them. Aside from her own, Apollo and Britney gave her free will for theirs. Emily wanted to do something that they would've done and _she isn't even sure about that_. (Because buying the Academy Pop-Tarts isn't the smartest thing to do.)

She misses everyone. Stupid Camp SHIELD and their lack of service.

"I'm thinking about it," Emily responds.

_Fury: Well, think faster. I thought you were smarter. _

"I'm on a gap year."

_Fury: I know. The Academy's impatient because you have a million dollars from them at your fingertips across the ocean. _

And she looks down at her perfect manicure. "It's only seven figures."

_Fury: Says the billionaire._

Emily smiles at her power over them. "They could call me directly."

_Fury: It took me two months to call you._

"And I only answered because it was you and I'm not doing anything. If they call, I'm not picking up. Do they have my number?"

_Fury: Don't think so. They would have to get it from me. _

"You wouldn't give it to them, would you? Claim it as classified because it might as well be."

_Fury: I'll keep deferring their calls. If they bother me, I'll bother them back by not doing anything. _

"And to think your goddaughter never had an influence on you."

_Fury: Please. _

"Speaking of bothering the Academy, if they keep nagging you for my number, make them beg for it."

_Fury: Whatever you say. But just so I don't stay awake thinking about it, when do you think you'll have a plan?_

Emily shrugs although she knows Fury can't see her. "Third year."

* * *

**I've mentioned this before because it's true: I miss Emily Stark.**

**Like Camp SHIELD, days in quarantine have been a blur ... and Emily is in Italy. Ignoring that, I hope you all keep safe and healthy.**


	28. Year One: Knock-Offs

**I submitted the worst paper I've ever written and need some joy. I'm sure we all need something happy now.**

* * *

Year One: Knock-Offs

_Camp SHIELD - 21:47 PM_

On the last night of Camp SHIELD, classes ended before the sun went down. Professors deemed that time as preparation for heading back to campus. Everyone needs time to pack their bags, fix up the cabin, and grab a bite to eat. But no. There are hundreds of freshmen in the woods with no legitimate supervision.

And Halloween was soon.

They will take advantage of this perfect timing.

-o-

Some people managed to sneak in costumes amidst their rushed packing. They were mostly casual clothes that can pass off as costumes or can become one. Loads of people remained in their training uniforms while wearing cat ears or whatever headpiece they packed last minute. Or they wore their pyjamas. But, for the most part, everyone is so done with Camp SHIELD that they wanted to party and forget about the past few weeks.

Correction: a lot of the Sci-Tech girls brought costumes. Well, not _costume_ costumes. To them, it was Halloween, but to Emily Stark, it was everyday fashion. Blazers, (knockoff for them) designer tops, business casual pants or jeans, and high heels with sunglasses. And since that Emily Stark was in the public eye more, they had more outfit inspiration. A part of it was because Emily Stark was, as mentioned many times before, their program's goddess. The other is a chance to get laid by a Sci-Tech boy who was in the fascination for the billionaire.

"I want to go home," Daniel says.

He leans against the wall, avoiding eye contact with all the Emily Stark knockoffs. _Nobody knows he's the fiancé and he's more uncomfortable now than when he learned that Emily was worshipped here. _Daniel would go back to his cabin and pack his bag but he's scared to see someone who looks like his fiancée straddling someone.

"Campus or _home_ home?" Xavier asks. Although he's not engaged to Emily, he's still uncomfortable by all the girls in blazers giving him suggestive looks.

Daniel sighs. "Anywhere. Preferably with _my_ Emily."

Xavier nods, looking at his friend. "I get that."

-o-

"Yes!" James screams over the booming music. "I hate it too!"

James watches Emily laugh in front of him. They're on their sixth drink and ranting about the stupidity of the express Ph.D. requirement of Sci-Tech. Like him, Emily hasn't put much thought into hers. She was leaning towards robotics or completely changing programs. _God, he misses Emily. She was always on the same page as him. _None of his other Academy friends understand him like her. _But did she always have dark blonde hair?_ _And was she always at Camp SHIELD?_ Whatever. He's drunk. It's fine.

"I was thinking of quantum entanglement," James explains. "You know how much my dad _loves _that stuff but I will end up getting tangled in it."

And then Emily starts talking. His mind is so hazy from all the drinks that he sees Emily's mouth moving in slow-motion but no noise comes out. It's weird because Emily's voice always has a sound. _Was this really her?_ It had to be.

"I miss you so much," James says.

Emily gives him a strange face before smiling. _She misses him too._

-o-

Angela and Merida aren't too far away. They're close enough to see James talking to a girl but far enough so that he doesn't notice them giving him a _what an idiot _face. They know he's drunk and he'd still be smart enough to not do anything harmful. Angela's there to watch over him and Merida's waiting for the entertainment factor. _Drunk James was her favourite James._

"Aren't you going to stop that?" Merida asks, pointing at James's conversation. It would make her night if Angela went over and smacked that girl _especially since Merida could picture it as Emily_. She loves her friend but would love to end Camp SHIELD with a hearty laugh.

"Nah," Angela says while shaking her head. "He thinks it's Emily so it's not going anywhere."

"But what if she takes the wheel," Merida suggests. _All she wants is a fight to break out._

Angela gives Merida a face. _She knows what Merida wants and she won't give it. _"I'll make sure she doesn't."

Merida groans. _She tried_.

Angela and Merida continue looking around at all the people here. They didn't dress up, not even in their pyjamas. They only wear whatever they would return to campus in because screw this party. _That's a reminder they have to pack soon_. But they didn't expect to see so many girls dressed up as Emily. They knew from James and Daniel that their program _loved_ Emily Stark, but they didn't expect the infatuation to be this extreme.

The girls were used to Emily being their best girlfriend. Before they met Britney and Iqadi, they were a trio. Sure, their group chat was called _Stark's Angels_ but Emily was always on par with them. Nobody was more important than the others. Maybe that was because they didn't see her through media headlines and paparazzi photos. They knew her from spontaneous shopping trips, running through the school hallways, and late night drives after curfew.

"I thought you'd be more disturbed," Angela says, referring to all the Emily Stark clones.

Merida shrugs. "I miss Emily so it's cool."

Angela nods. "Yeah, it kind of is."

"But don't tell her or else her ego will explode."

"And we'll never hear the end of it."

-o-

Nobody knew the time but nobody cared. Clothes and items were shoved in suitcases. People had to get others to sit on theirs to help zip it up. Organization was the last priority because all that mattered was that everyone can finally leave Camp SHIELD. _Goodbye cabins, hello campus! Hello, cell service! _Nothing will be more satisfying than catching up on missed text messages and blocking out the horrific memories of the past week.

And Camp SHIELD ended right in time for Thanksgiving meaning that students got some time to relax on campus. There were no scheduled classes and those who celebrated Thanksgiving got to go home. But everyone got to catch up on sleep and remedy themselves of any illnesses they got in the outdoors.

Little did they know what was coming for them after the break.

* * *

** I will say this every chance I get: I miss Emily Stark.**


	29. Year One: Pop-Tart Day

**I just experienced so much stress submitting a paper online, like more stress than actually writing the paper. **

**This is a bittersweet chapter although it focuses on sweet treats.**

* * *

Year One: Pop-Tart Day

_Milan, Italy - 10:35 AM_

Emily puts on her sunglasses as she exits a small corner shop. She walks down the streets, passing by people who are on their way to start their day. Emily walks with her shoulders higher than usual to make it easier to sidestep people with her purse. She was going one way and everyone else the other. Emily would always mutter apologies in Italian which was one of the first phrases she's picked up. She's learned many other conversational phrases with the rich friends who accompanied her. Emily is proud to call herself proficient in talking about the weather, asking for help _and if they speak English_, ordering food, and saying _I love you_ to her special someone.

Once she's at a free corner, she stands to the side. Emily opens her bag and readjusts the box of Pop-Tarts she bought. _It surprised her that they exist here and she isn't sure why. _On any other day, she would never eat these. There are only two occasions where she would choose to eat a Pop-Tart: in absolute desperation and Apollo's birthday.

Lucky for her, it's the latter. Since she and her friends knew that Apollo would be in Asgard for his birthday, they took it upon themselves to do something small to commemorate the occasion. Wherever they were and whatever time it was, they would eat a Pop-Tart for him.

And Emily found a coffee-flavoured box. She didn't think those existed either. _Look at Italy bringing more surprises. _Emily wonders if Apollo's tried these before but he likely has. _He's tried everything_.

Emily tears open the box and pulls out an individual package. She gets a whiff of fake sugar and coffee flavouring and is disturbed by how it makes her mouth water. _No wonder Apollo loves these stupid pastries. Could they even be called pastries or is that insulting to other pastries? _But when Emily bites into one, she has a new understanding of Apollo's love. She knows she shouldn't be eating sugar, especially processed sugar, this early in the morning but it's his birthday and her morning coffee.

She's about to continue walking when she sees a homeless man sitting on the curb. Emily stops in her tracks, looking in her bag once before facing the man. She quickly pulls out some bills from her wallet and shoves them in the Pop-Tart box. When she crouches in front of the man, she smiles and hands him the box. Not only does he beam at the food but at the cash.

"Bless you," he says in broken English.

"Bless my friend, it's his birthday," Emily responds.

-o-

_Wakanda's Palace - 11:10 AM_

Imanu sits on a barstool in the kitchen as he watches Iqadi rummage through the cupboards. All the staff has been dismissed until further notice. Imanu offered that they could help but Iqadi assured him that she could find it. _She said that ten minutes ago_ but Imanu never told her how much time passed. It would only stress her more and she already feels like sending a tornado through the kitchen. He'd even offer to help but she told him not to move. So he sat there waiting and watching her look through the same storage units many times.

Finally, she spots the blue box the third time checking that cabinet.

"I thought I didn't have it anymore," Iqadi says, walking up to Imanu.

"Have what?" Imanu asks as he closes all the drawers and doors she left open. "What is that?"

"Pop-Tarts." Iqadi smiles when she sees Imanu's confused face. "They're a Western snack of sorts. Apollo loves them so much that it's an obsession. He's in Asgard so the rest of us made a pact to eat one for him on his birthday."

Imanu nods, becoming more confused when Iqadi hands him the box. "I'm a part of this?"

"Of course, you are. You always will be."

Imanu smiles as Iqadi hands him their Pop-Tarts. As Iqadi puts the box down, Imanu looks at the snack. It's thin with a hardened glaze that's questionable for many reasons. _It looks like it's been in that cupboard for months but the snack looked fine_. Iqadi was certain in eating it so he should be too.

"You've never tried these?" Iqadi asks with a small smile on the corner of her lips.

"I've never heard of them," Imanu responds.

Iqadi gasps. "If only Apollo was here to witness this. It'd be groundbreaking for him."

-o-

_Central Jersey, United States - 13:28 PM_

They had to find a time they were all free to do this together. With their class schedules and training sessions with exam season around the corner, they had to put all that aside for Apollo's birthday. In their group chat, they dropped their schedules and, with intense planning mostly done by Daniel who made a spreadsheet, they found a thirty-minute slot where none of them had anything. _That moment being on Apollo's birthday was a sign that this had to be done_.

So they drove off campus to the nearest grocery store. Angela and Xavier were in their training uniforms, Daniel was in a lab coat, James was in both his training uniform and a lab coat, and Merida was in her pyjamas. The five of them run into the cereal aisle and stand in front of the Pop-Tart section. It's unfamiliar to be in front of all those blue boxes in their Academy outfits, even Merida's pyjamas.

They feel grown-up, _even the pyjamas._

"It feels weird to be here without him," Angela says.

"Which one do we pick?" Daniel asks, stepping back to get a better look at the top shelves.

All their heads look back and forth, up and down in different directions. An obvious option would be to pick Apollo's favourite but _he likes them all_. They start suggesting flavours.

"I think they all taste the same," Xavier states.

Everyone stops and stares at him. Xavier, unfazed, continues browsing. Apollo would kill him for those words. He would say that _every flavour has a spot in his heart._

"I say we buy a bunch and mash them all together," Merida suggests.

James gags. "I got diabetes just by hearing that."

"Best birthday ever."

"We're so stupid," Angela states.

Nobody argues with her but they look to see her explain. Angela jumps and grabs a box from the top shelf. Everyone reads the flavour and suddenly feel like an idiot. _Apollo would be so ashamed in them on his beloved Pop-Tart Day._ What surprises them the most is that nobody noticed that flavour on the shelf.

"Birthday cake is fitting," Daniel states.

"Who's paying for that box?" Merida asks. "I didn't bring my wallet since I rolled out of bed."

Xavier puts a hand on her shoulder. "Apollo would be proud."

-o-

_A Week Ago - Asgard's Palace_

A week from today will be Apollo's birthday. Weeks prior to today, he learned news that will change his life for the worse. He thought he knew all he had to about his fate but there was more to the story he didn't want to hear. Ever since learning the truth, he was plagued with nightmares. Even while awake, he felt the monster eating at his brain.

Apollo isn't sure what happened to him or Sigyn, who he believes is amid betraying him, but he doesn't want to spare another thought on Midgard. Every pleasant memory he has with his friends and growing up was being incinerated by the monster's venom. Faces of people he loved were being burned. His screams kept him up at night so he never wants to think of them again. _It's for their sake_, he tells himself. _Everything about Midgard will never be the same again._

Everywhere within the palace walls became sombre. It's almost like a disease spread through the walls like a shadow. No castle staff or warriors in training were allowed to utter the words to avoid Apollo's rage. He couldn't handle hearing them because they trigger flashes of memories that plague the ones he keeps hidden at the very back of his mind. It never helped that Sigyn would hiss those words like the monster in his nightmares. _Who had she become?_

If nobody reminded him about his birthday, he would've forgotten about it. Sleepless nights blurred the division of day and night for him.

"Why don't you do something?" Jane suggests.

She and Thor sit across from Apollo on couches in one of the lounge rooms. Apollo's hands run across his beard as he slouches back in the cushions. He can see the destruction on his parents' faces. _At least they had nothing to do with his horrors._ They hate being in a position where they can only watch him suffer. All they want to do is help _but he knows they can't_. If they could make all this disappear, they would've already done it before he ever found out.

"It might be good for you," Thor adds.

"Not if it's my last," Apollo grumbles.

"Apollo…" Jane mutters. Her voice cracks and Apollo almost feels bad for saying it. He'd feel completely guilty if it wasn't true.

"It won't be your last," Thor reassures. _The false hope_ _that Apollo's heard too many times._

"Maybe we should plan a funeral instead," Apollo spits before getting up in a rush and leaving.

On his way out, he sees Sigyn standing at the doorway. Her face is expressionless as he passes her. Her face has been like that ever since she learned the news as well but there was always an ulterior motive behind those green eyes. _Was she standing there the whole time? _He kept eye contact with her as has passed her.

"Happy birthday to you…" Sigyn sings to him softly.

He heard that and assumed she wore a scowl or menacing and conniving grin that he saw in his nightmares. _But little did he know that a tear rolled down her cheek and onto her trembling lips._

* * *

**This was going to be the original first appearance of Emily and Sigyn (the latter was in a flashback but same thing) but now we have Apollo. The flashback would technically take place during the Asgard arc in ****_PNG_**** which I'll mention below. (That goddamn Asgard arc gave me an existential crisis in December 2018.)**

**_PNG Counterparts_**** \- Chapters 113-129: What Happened in Asgard Parts One-Finale**


	30. Year One: You Want Some?

**As I'm writing the next few chapters, just know that I recently came back from my winter exam season in my second year. With that, I have a great understanding of exam season so a lot of parts in the next few chapters are based on true stories. Not all of them will be used since we have a lot of exam seasons to have fun with.**

**As I'm publishing this chapter, I submitted my last paper but I still have to do online exams during quarantine. Some classes got their exams cancelled but I just had to be in the four courses that decided to do online exams.**

* * *

Year One: You Want Some?

_Atlantic Residence - 8:57 AM_

Everyone was slowly filtering back from Thanksgiving. From the dorm's common kitchen, Angela and Orchid would watch a girl come up and out of the elevator with either a bag thrown over their shoulder or a suitcase rolling by their side. They would either be on the phone, calling the family they just saw because they miss them already and need to check in to say they came back safely. Or they would be relieved to be back on campus after a horrible holiday.

"I find it weird to understand how people hate their families," Orchid states.

"Me too," Angela says. "But what can we do?"

"Bake."

Angela smiles, pointing her spatula at Orchid. Some batter drips onto the counter but it makes them smile. "Exactly."

With the return from Thanksgiving came exam season. Those who disliked their families couldn't decide which version of hell was better. At least the Academy kept them busy with tasks they were somewhat interested and they were surrounded by tolerable people.

At least for kids in Operations, they could sit back compared to the other programs. A lot of their training classes don't consist of a final exam. Those courses use their top three best test marks and times per section combined for a final mark. Although the lecture-based classes have final papers and exams depending on the course.

All they really have to focus on is passing their written aviation test to get their permit. Without it, they can't take next term's class where they start flying simulations followed by the real bird.

But at least their floor of Atlantic Residence can enjoy the mini apple pies Angela and Orchid are baking. There's a fresh batch resting on the living room table, another in the oven, and a last one on a serving tray on the counter. _Nobody complained and their RA thanked them. _Some girls took a handful before going on their way to cry about what they have to do in the upcoming weeks till Christmas break. Angela and Orchid have their assignments and tests to worry about but baking is stress-relieving. _And Angela was so happy to find a fellow baker who wanted to join her._

Xavier walks out of the elevator and is greeted by the warm scent of apple pie. It brings him back home and reminds him of his Thanksgiving. It's a bonus that Angela's there to help paint the picture, but a disturbance when she and Orchid are waving him over. He has that feeling in his bones that he's not only going to be offered pie. _So much for being his besties. _He should've stayed at Hudson.

"Orchid needs advice," Angela says.

Xavier thinks that over for a bit as he takes a seat across from them and the pies. Maybe if he eats one, he won't have to answer but his two besties stare at him.

"So Brody and I were texting," Orchid explains. "I got drunk over Thanksgiving and he was drunk here with some other classmates who didn't go home for whatever reason. Anyways, we were drunk and flirting, but now he ghosted me."

"I taught her that term," Angela says proudly.

"Did you say anything to cause that?" Xavier asks.

"What makes you think _I_ said something?" Orchid questions, crossing her arms.

Xavier blinks. He's approached treacherous territory and stuck his foot in. He glances at Angela and she's shaking her head at him. _Stand down. Shut up. Eat a pie. _But Orchid smiles at him. He's safe to proceed but doesn't want to anymore.

"Show him the conversation," Angela says.

"No, thank you," Xavier says. He doesn't want or need to read their flirting, especially if it happened under the influence. Not only will it ruin his appetite but he's not a communication expert.

"I read it and it's fine. At least, for the first few text bubbles."

Xavier's eyes widen, especially when Angela and Orchid start laughing. Forget staying in his dorm, he should've stayed home. In Brooklyn.

"You're in a relationship," Xavier tells his twin.

Angela scoffs. "As if James would ghost me."

"Has your prize hen ever ghosted you?" Orchid asks him.

Xavier pauses and Angela clears her throat. Orchid isn't sure or aware of what she said. In her defence, it's a genuine question that happens to have an answer he doesn't like. One of his worst memories was when Britney disappeared, especially since he was the last person who saw her. He didn't only _ghost_ him, she ghosted everyone. _Does now count as being ghosted? _No, he doesn't think it does. He honestly isn't sure.

"Yup," Xavier states.

Now, Orchid senses the tension. "So, are your roommates back already?"

"He's coming this afternoon," Xavier responds.

"Merida said tonight or maybe tomorrow," Angela adds.

-o-

_Noakes Library - 10:15 __AM_

Xavier walks into the Operations' library. He stops at the entrance and scans the area. Students are cramming for whatever exams or papers they have. It's not as tense as he heard Sci-Tech or Communications currently is. He's been told to avoid those parts of campus until next term. Xavier has taken note of that because Daniel was freaking out in their group chat. But now, Xavier is looking for Brody. He isn't sure what to say to him because, although he doesn't understand the extent of wingman duties, he knows that this isn't a part of it. _The things he does for his besties._

"I was looking for you."

Xavier looks behind him and sees Brody just walking in. _And now he forgot the plan he never had. _Xavier thinks that he could wing this but he still isn't sure what he's winging. _Fuck everything involving winging things and being a wingman_.

"Hey," Xavier greets. _Screw it._ He's not going to waste time in an awkward moment he can avoid. "So -"

"Are you and Orchid seeing each other?" Brody asks.

Xavier hesitates because he didn't think Brody would ask anything let alone _that._ _What did he just ask_? Instead, he clears his throat and hopes he's not turning red. Brody looks unfazed, almost as if he zoned out mid-conversation. Or maybe he's planning to kill him. Again, he should've stayed home.

"Nope," Xavier states. "No, not at all. We keep a platonic distance. She's all yours."

Brody raises a brow. "What?"

"I'm not seeing her," Xavier rephrases. _Should've said that the first time._

Brody smiles, clapping Xavier. "Thanks, mate."

"Anytime...mate."

-o-

_Darwin Library - 10:38 __AM_

Everyone's stressed. Nobody knows what day is. Walking through the dorms and even the libraries were full of all-nighters, panic attacks, and crying.

Nobody could've afforded to stay home.

Daniel's seen and learned a lot about Adderall. Thirty percent of university students use it, it's a good treatment for ADHD. Once it takes effect in an hour, it increases serotonin and dopamine by focusing on energy and decreasing distraction. It's close to meth and even _thinking_ you took it could increase your test results. Daniel can't help but come to the conclusion that maybe his peers wouldn't be stressed if they put the time they spent reading about Adderall on their textbooks. _Priorities_.

If there's one thing he's stressed about, it's the comprehensive exam for his Ph.D. If he fails that, he won't get his Ph.D. And if he doesn't get his Ph.D., he can't go into second year.

He's surprised he hasn't cried or screamed into the void. _Or asked for Adderall_. Maybe if he's desperate..._nope._

"How are you so relaxed?" Daniel asks James.

Beside him, James has his feet up on the table. He leans back in his chair with his AirPods in, dreaming. _How was he sleeping now when he was the only one in the dorm who slept through the night? How is he not tired? _James was in the same state he was the beginning of the year: calm. And to think that this boy was in Operations as well.

"Y'all are wasting your time and energy by freaking out," James explains after taking out an AirPod. "I'm conserving my resources and saving them for the big days."

Daniel hates it when he's right … and when he goes back to sleep.

-o-

_Wakanda's Royal Training Room - 14:26 __PM_

Iqadi slams against the wall again. She's hit her head so many times that she's lost count. Her head spins. As she turns to try and focus on something, everything blurs in a way that there would be a trail following like a tail. Even her own limbs have the same effect. But she stops to focus on her breathing and look at her hand. Once it becomes a solid object, her suit pixilates away and she sees her flesh. Soon, the entire suit disappears with it.

She's still in a tank top and shorts that are now drenched. She still hasn't caught her breath. She isn't sure if her double vision is still there and she doesn't want to test that theory.

The lab finished a prototype of her Black Panther suit that was meant to absorb kinetic energy with her weather manipulation. So she sparred a few rounds to test it out, called a few winds, and allowed the power to build inside the fabric. Once it was ready to be released, it would take over her. It was something she wasn't used to experiencing: failure. For her entire life, she's always been powerful and excelled at everything. But this was new to her and she doesn't like it.

Every time she tried, she got beat up from the kinetic power. Iqadi never gives up but she chose to once she started seeing double of everything. She has to put her health first although she wants to conquer her suit. She's going to wear and use it in the future so what use was it if she couldn't wear it? _What kind of ruler will she be? _At first, she wanted to blame the lab and demand for modifications. But there was nothing wrong with the suit. It passed all the simulations. There was something wrong with her.

After she showered and put on some fresh clothes, she decided to call it a day. Maybe it'll be fine tomorrow. _Or the day after_.

When she enters her room, she sees Imanu there. Someone probably told him that she had a bad day in the training room and he came here to comfort her. _She didn't want anyone to know for the sake of her pride_. Iqadi knows that he had a busy day too. He was learning more about his present and future royal responsibilities, most of them involving being loyal to her and Wakanda. Apparently, he was learning everything in a week that she got to learn over a year.

"I wasn't prepared for any of that," Iqadi mutters.

"Darling, you were only there for a few hours," Imanu reassures, rubbing her arm. "It's training. You will get better at it."

"Was all my training for nothing?" Iqadi wonders. _Maybe a possible undiagnosed concussion is doing the talking._

"You trained to adapt to failure. It would've been way worse if you didn't have any training."

"But I'm not used to being thrown around by something I'm supposed to live up to."

"I am."

Iqadi stops for a second and smiles a little. _Her husband is going through the same thing as her but debatably worse._ "I'd switch with you but you're learning my upbringing."

* * *

**Funny enough, this chapter is around the same length as the essay I just submitted (less than a hundred words shorter). You can tell which one I enjoyed writing.**


	31. Year One: Cramming and Crying

**The fact that I'm posting this chapter on my birthday and the word _crying_ is in the title is fitting.**

* * *

Year One: Cramming and Crying

_Cafeteria - 9:26 AM_

Amid the background noise of people eating, chatting, and shuffling around, Xavier and Brody sit across from each other. They're sharing Brody's laptop and going through the class slideshows for their upcoming written aviation permit test. They went over the basic rules, etiquette, controls, etc.

"You know, this is like driving a car," Brody states as he changes the slideshow.

"Please don't think that when we get to flying," Xavier begs. He's already scared for when Merida gets unsupervised control of a jet.

Brody laughs as Ashton approaches their table and takes a seat at the head of the table. Brody closes the laptop so he and Xavier could focus on Ashton. The ends of his hair have water drops on it from the shower and his body jitters as if it was waiting for someone to say something or else he'll explode. But all Brody and Xavier could do was stare and wait for him to say something.

"I'm chugging energy drinks and coffee like it's water and taking cold showers to stay alert," Ashton explains.

"That's concerning," Xavier says.

"That's phenomenal!" Brody exclaims. _He makes note to try that later on in the exam season._

Xavier looks at him. "Don't encourage that."

"You sound like your sister."

-o-

_Sci-Tech Lecture Hall - 11:09 AM_

"The final is on the 18th."

It takes James a second to realize that someone was talking to him. His mind isn't quite back yet to see who it is but he's only aware that it's not Daniel. _Geez_. He zoned out for the lecture's entire review period, hoping that some of the important information breaks the barrier between reality and dreamworld. _Dreamworld was nice because he wasn't at the Academy._ He was on the beach about to go tanning but woke up before the sun hit him. _Dammit_.

He gives himself credit for going to class.

"The what?" James asks.

"The final."

"What final?"

They look at him concerned. " … for this course."

There are still no bells ringing in James's mind.

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 11:23 AM_

Angela walks through her dorm's hallway. All the doors are closed but she can hear everything: crying, panicking, complaining, ranting, all of it. The emotional breakdown that inevitably occurred in such a high-stressed environment has doubled lately. _Upper years were right: they hear everything through those thin utilitarian cinder walls_. _No wonder their RA made her room an open-door policy._ As much as Angela wants to help and comfort each of those girls, she knows from experience that it's best to let them vent it all out on their own accord.

Exams are close. They'll get over it and it'll be Christmas.

_It's fine_. At least, she wants to believe it will be. Angela thinks that before she opens a textbook and drowns out everyone's cries, she'll call home.

-o-

_Noakes Library - 14:17 PM_

From a private study desk, Merida grimaces at her SHIELD History textbook. She understands concepts like the evolution of clearance levels, the different divisions, publicly-known initiatives and whatever else was in the book. What she couldn't wrap her head around was the real-world application of this crap. She'll never have to defeat a criminal mastermind by listing all the past directors. _Don't shoot me, I know the locations of SHIELD's non-classified laboratories!_

Merida stretches her arms. Out of all the classes she can afford to take an L in, this tops the list. If she barely passes this course, it won't be the end of the world. She can still work towards trying to get into Weight Class A and fly a plane without delving into the details of SHIELD's relationship with other international bodies of government.

"Fuck this," Merida says, closing her textbook and gathering her things.

What's more important to her is the resell value of the stupid textbook. As much as she wants to make a profit, she wants to get rid of it. That begs the question of if she values money more than some space in her desk.

These are the riveting questions she should be studying.

-o-

_Campus Gym - 14:47 PM_

This is the last place Daniel ever expected to be but Xavier asked him if he was free for an hour and he said yes. _He had to ask for directions to the gym but he eventually found it_. It's emptier than he thought but like because it's the shared gym and it's exam season. Within the weights area that intimidates him, he sees Xavier with Ashton and Brody. The latter two intimidate him since they're also over a head taller than him. The only reason Xavier doesn't scare him is because he knows him.

"Why am I here?" Daniel asks.

"Here," Ashton says, passing him a textbook.

Daniel leafs through it, seeing different combat strategies and diagrams. What is he supposed to do with this information? He looks up and sees Ashton, Brody, and Xavier disperse amongst some of the machines. Xavier rolls over a yoga ball and Daniel jumps a little. _It looked like a boulder about to run over him. _Once he stops it, he takes a seat on it but plants his feet on the ground to avoid falling off _and looking like a complete idiot in front of boys who can beat him in everything physical_. Daniel opens the textbook to one of the pages that has a sticky note in it.

"So, what's your Ph.D. going to be in?" Brody asks. Xavier must've told them before he got here that he was in Sci-Tech.

Daniel pauses before looking at Xavier with a smile. "Xavier, you tell them."

"No, thanks," Xavier says. "It's your achievement and I don't want to steal that from you."

Daniel grins. He's known Xavier long enough spot his bullshit. "You have no idea, do you?"

Xavier puts his hands up. "In my defence, I always forget the moment you tell me."

"Biochemistry."

"Oh god," Ashton groans. "Why?"

Daniel shrugs. "I couldn't choose between biology or chemistry."

The three Operations boys shudder at those words. _That's a choice they never had to worry about making. _But it was difficult for Daniel to pick. A lot of upper years advised picking a broad field so that it's easier to narrow down and complete in the amount of given time. _All that mattered was getting into second year, even their profs hav said the same thing. _But Daniel saw it as a bigger deal. _It was his first Ph.D. and he wasn't even 20!_ He couldn't take it lightly. So he chose biochemistry since it combined two things he loves. Sometimes he wonders if it's the right choice.

But screw it. He's here now and his comprehensive exam is soon. There's no time to change his mind. But there's time to help these boys out.

-o-

Daniel hasn't moved from the yoga ball, but the other boys now stand around him in a triangle. Ashton tosses a medicine ball between his hands as Daniel flips to a new chapter in the textbook.

Daniel clears his throat. "Okay, what are the seven questions?"

"What's the situation and how does it affect me," Ashton responds before tossing the ball to Brody.

"What have I been told to do and why," Brody adds before throwing it to Xavier.

"What effects do I need to achieve." Xavier tosses it back to Ashton.

"Where and how can I best achieve each action and effect." Back to Brody.

"What resources do I need to accomplish each action and effect," Back to Xavier.

"When and where do actions take place in relation to one another." Back to Ashton.

"And finally, what control measures do I need to impose."

Daniel nods as Brody keeps the ball in his hands. When they make eye contact, Brody pretends to throw the medicine ball to him but quickly catches it. Still, Daniel jumps a little on his yoga ball, holding the textbook up as a shield and almost rolls back. He would've died if Xavier didn't catch him so he forgives Xavier for laughing at him.

"I hate the gym," Daniel mutters, readjusting his glasses.

"Why?" Brody asks. "It's fun."

"To you." Daniel gets up from the yoga ball. "I don't need to workout. I'm fit enough and don't have to impress anyone."

Ashton and Brody pause. They look at each other confused before facing Xavier for an explanation. Xavier points at his own left ring finger to tell them that Daniel's engaged so he doesn't need a lady. Or maybe that gesture meant _married_ but they're the same thing when referring to Emily. As a response, Ashton and Brody gasp and coo like chorus girls with their congratulations. Daniel's surprised by that reaction and Xavier's stunned that they harmonized. But Xavier pats Daniel's shoulder as his friend blushes.

Daniel clears his throat. "You know, after this, I learned that Operations is its own science."

Ashton cringes. "Ew."

Brody shakes his head. "No."

Xavier removes his hand. "Why."

Daniel laughs.

* * *

**Toxic masculinity is not welcomed in this household.**

**The part about Xavier never knowing what Daniel's PhD is came from me not knowing what my friends in the sciences are doing. I swear, whenever they tell me, it's in one ear and out the other. That conversation with James not knowing about the final and its date happened to me ... and I was James. I think those past few sentences in this AN really tell a lot about me.**


	32. Year One: So Close

**Finished my first online exam the moment this chapter went up. As I'm typing this AN, I'm taking a break studying for another exam.**

* * *

Year One: So Close

_Wakanda's Royal Training Room - 5:02 AM_

Iqadi woke up before the sun. She snuck out of her room, cautious not to wake Imanu. _As if that was hard considering her Black Panther training. _After leaving the room, it was easy to get through the palace. The staff was used to seeing her head down to train this early. The only reason she's more aware of her surroundings is because she's been training later in the mornings after getting married. It wasn't that much of a difference, but it was still a change.

She had to get used to sharing her bed with someone, especially since that someone is her husband. And Imanu was pleasant to sleep with. He didn't hog the sheets, didn't snore, and hugged her after asking. Those were qualities she didn't think she was looking for when picking a husband. _But thank the Panther God they were there_. Sometimes she wonders if she's good to share a bed with since she isn't sure how she sleeps. She'd like to believe that she is.

Iqadi believes she has few flaws. Claustrophobia tops the list and her stubbornness is debatable. _She thinks it's fine but her mother disagrees._ Then it's her issues with opening up combined with her preference to solitude. But those make up who she is. If she didn't possess any of those traits, she wouldn't be who she is today.

As Iqadi enters the lab, the first thing she sees is the flaw that she will turn into perfection: her Black Panther suit. It isn't who she is but who she has to be. Her entire life has been leading up to that moment.

"One day…" Iqadi mutters to it.

-o-

_Edison Residence - 6:46 AM_

Daniel wakes up in the dark. He lies in bed for a while. He isn't sure how he's feeling. It's as if he woke from a deep sleep but he's wide awake. Daniel turns over in his bed and reaches for his glasses. Once he sees clearly, he grabs his phone and unplugs it. When it glows in his face, he blinks a few times and then he sees the time.

6:46 AM.

_Wow_. _That's early_. But he thought he set his alarm to an earlier time. Daniel unlocks his phone and it opens right away to his exam schedule. He looks at today's date and that's when reality hits like a wrecking ball.

"Fuck…" Daniel mutters before jumping out of bed.

Forget getting dressed and eating something. He has an exam in ten minutes. _Ten. Minutes_. Daniel grabs his student card and shoves it in his pocket. He sees his textbook and throws it at James. James screams and curses, turning around in pain.

"You didn't wake me!" Daniel yells.

"I didn't know that was my responsibility," James responds.

"What universe am I in?!"

"A universe where Daniel Banner will fail an exam because he was late. Don't worry, you get thirty minutes into the exam before you'd need an accommodation for being late."

Daniel throws another textbook at him. "Damn you."

"Good luck!"

-o-

_Operations' Examination Room One - 10:10 AM_

_'__If you're being attacked by missiles, snipers, and grenades, then what does that tell you about the attacker? And how do you proceed?_'

Merida sits in her seat, leaning back in her chair as she looks at her exam in front of her. She crosses her leg under the table as she smiles at the question. _Easy_. She didn't even need to study because it's common sense (and a lot of the answers are open-ended so she just has to make her arguments convincing). Merida stretches her back and turns her paper a bit before starting to write her answer.

_They're likely not good with close combat._ Merida checks the question again to read the rest of it. _You would proceed by going to their heights. They are likely viewing you through a scope so if you were to go face-to-face with them quickly, it would disrupt their spatial view._

Merida smiles to herself as she dots that sentence. _This'll be a breeze. _She looks at the tables ahead of her, glancing at Xavier and Angela who sit on opposite ends. Both look as relaxed as her.

From her seat, Angela flips the page to her _combatant strategies_ exam. She's glad to see that there isn't much left and she has so much time to spare. _Good for her_.

Angela tightens her ponytail and looks at the question. '_Can a gunshot break a bone?'_

She hesitates because this was a debate the professor had with some of her classmates. Angela tries to recall what either of them said since nobody was right or wrong. _Crap. Was this an open-ended question?_ She's suddenly doubting everything she knows. But it's only one mark.

It doesn't help that Xavier walks by her. She turns over and sees him hand in the exam and sign out. Before he heads out, he smiles at her and she mocks him before grinning.

_Not necessarily_. Angela pauses for a moment to rethink her answer. _Depending on the gun and distance between the shooter and victim, the bullet is more likely to hit and be stopped by flesh. But if the bullet does strike bone, it will likely shatter._

-o-

_Sci-Tech Examination Room Two - 10:26 AM_

Daniel arrived at his exam right on time. He walked in right when the proctor was reading the protocol. He slid right into an available seat and scribbled his name and student number on the cover page. Daniel caught his breath the moment they were allowed to start and he started writing.

The exam went well for him.

He's more stressed about waiting in line to get an assignment back. He was so calm for the exam and he's more anxious about seeing his grade on the report. _The irony. _Every step closer makes his heart race faster. He feels his legs about to give in as he watches the students in front of him look at their grades. _She seems content. He looks satisfied. They're about to start a war with the professor_.

And now it's his turn. Daniel mutters a thanks as he takes his report. He steps to the side and flips to the final page where the rubric was stapled. He skims through the individual sections to see the overall score.

_99.5._

Daniel pauses. _Is that right?_ Daniel skims through the mark breakdown to see where he lost half a mark. _Presentation_. He looks through the subcategories and sees the half mark deducted from clarity. As he leafs through his report, he sees a red mark in the middle of a page that's crossing out a semicolon and replacing it with a comma.

Daniel closes his report, takes a breath, and heads out. He's not exaggerating when he says this but he wants to burn this report. _Fucking commas._

-o-

_Sci-Tech Examination Room Three - 19:27 PM_

During his exam, James stares at his student card for ten minutes while tapping his temple with the back of his pen. _Wow. He looks good at that photo._ Then, he looks at the clock. _Thirty-three minutes left. _He glances at his exam and sees that he has lots of time to finish. He could even take a nap if he wanted and still finish on time.

_'__What can be said about the use of liquid nitrogen on common metals?'_

James hesitates. He tries to think of the lectures he was half-awake for (and attended), the textbook he's seen the cover of, and murmurs from classmates cramming last-minute outside these doors. Nothing. Then his mouth shapes into an o when he realizes his mistake. He was trying to conjure the wrong memory. He thinks back further and then grins as he scribbles down the answer.

_Thank you, Melissa._

-o-

_Three Years Ago - Upper East Side, New York_

After school, James sits in the booth of Steeped Beans Café. Across from him is his _study date_, Melissa. Both of them still wear their private school uniforms and have iced drinks on their table. Prepped against the wall is a chemistry textbook they plan to share. Despite their schools being segregated by gender, they shared the same curriculum. _At least, that's what James said when he was convincing Melissa to join him_. It's not like she tried to correct him. They really just wanted to hang out.

"This is a lot," Melissa says, turning the page in their textbook.

She pauses to put a strand of her dark hair behind her ear before continuing. _Wow, she's hot when she does that. _She finds the end of the chapter and groans as she puts the book back to where they were. James smiles at her. Seeing her actually _want_ to study before they get to the point where the café closes and he'll have to drive her home? _That's hotter._ Thank god he ordered a cold drink.

"Practical uses for liquid nitrogen," Melissa reads.

"Liquid nitrogen can make good ice cream," James says.

"Ew," Melissa says, cringing a little as she sips her iced tea. "I don't trust it."

"Why not? Chefs use it all the time."

"It can turn metals brittle. I don't want that happening to my teeth or insides."

James nods. "Good point."

* * *

***coughs* that flashback is kind of important *coughs***

**Also, quick storytime. So that snippet in the middle was an idea I created as a joke. I thought, ****_how annoying would it be to get a 99.5 on an assignment_****_? Let's make it happen to Daniel._ One time during summer school, my professor told me to stop by her office to pick up some assignments. So I go. She hands me an essay and I got a 98. ****_Wow,_**** I thought, ****_good for me. _****But then she became wary about handing me my second assignment. She told me, in French, "Kim, I'm so sorry." For a moment, I thought I failed but it was a 99.5, I didn't know how to react. I think I whined because it was literally 0.5 off for the smallest details (like a few prepositions). But then I felt Daniel's pain and regretted putting him through that (but that didn't stop me from writing it). Eight months later (which is when I'm writing this chapter) and I'm still bitter about it. (Eleven months later, when I'm publishing, and I'm still salty.)**

**I also have issues with commas and another prof, but that's a story for another time.**


	33. Year One: There's Still Time

**I finished one French exam although I'm in the middle of another French exam due later...and they're with the same prof. The funny thing is that while I was doing the exam I just finished, she sent me (the class) an email reminding me that my other exam is due in nine hours. Like, _merci Madame_. (All of that makes the title of this story better).**

**That is good material for this story and, yes, I copied/pasted this AN from another story I updated. If you're reading both stories, then _hi_.**

* * *

Year One: There's Still Time

_Wakanda's Palace - 11:46 AM_

"Iqadi, the suit is fine," Ororo tells her daughter.

"But, Mother -" Iqadi attempts to argue.

"No."

Iqadi bites down on her lips to prevent herself from talking. Instead, she turns around and looks at herself in the mirror. She's wearing her Panther suit, minus the mask, and her mother stands behind her.

"Darling, the problem is you," Ororo states.

Iqadi says nothing because she's right. _She knew she was the issue but didn't want to hear it aloud_. She has to admit that it's better coming from her mother and not her father. She keeps her eyes on herself in the mirror, watching her arms and fingers run up and down her crossed arms. She feels every fibre in the suit, thinking about how it was made and how much power it can emit. Even on its own, it's a weapon with vibranium sown into it. With movement, it builds kinetic energy that can be transmitted outwards. With her weather abilities, it becomes a disastrous storm she can't control.

"I know you hate hearing it but a good leader also has to learn through their faults," Ororo explains. "That way, you'd know what to fix."

"I know what to _fix_, Mother," Iqadi says. "I just don't know how. And don't tell me that I have to _train_ because I know that. That's all I've been doing."

Ororo scoffs. _She really is her father's daughter._ "Iqadi, the suit is a vessel which means it has a limit for what it can contain. There's only a certain amount of energy it can hold before needing to release and it has to do so in a way that doesn't harm you. The weather's limit is the sky, the environment. It's exponentially greater than any uniform. It's the culmination of the universe at work and your body. You don't need to learn how to control your powers because you know how to do that. There's more to your Black Panther lineage than this suit. Once you start eating the heart-shaped herb, I don't know what will happen to the lightning you cast or winds you call."

"What are you saying?" Iqadi asks.

She tries not to think much about the heart-shaped herb. Iqadi knows that it enhances physical abilities so she never pictured the storms she could create. _Her mother doesn't eat the herb and she can already destroy a city if she wanted to_. The heir could ingest the herb too but she hasn't taken that option since she inherited weather manipulation. _Because she's scared of what it will do to her_. It helps that her parents and the Council are on the same page (without knowing her reasons). Maybe when she's closer to inheriting the throne. _Whenever that is._

"I'm saying you have time," Ororo reassures.

-o-

_Hudson Residence - 12:43 PM_

Xavier throws clothes in a bag to the sound of his cheering neighbours. He's unaware of his smile but knows he's happy. He's finally free from first semester. _Who wouldn't be overjoyed? _Exams are finished, final grades will be submitted soon, Christmas is in a week, and he doesn't have to come back here for even more weeks. He will wake up in his own bed and think that the past few months here have been a dream.

Ashton groans as he looks out the window. "I have to drive home in that snow. By the time I get there, I'll have to drive back."

"Would you rather run laps in that snow?" Xavier asks.

Ashton thinks over that. _Sitting in a heated car in the snow or running in the snow? _He closes the curtain. "Good point."

"So, I'll see you next year."

"Next term."

"Few weeks."

"Next month."

"Same thing."

They smile at each other. _They were great roommates and it's only been three months._

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 12:54 PM_

Angela and Merida are doing the same as everyone else: packing what they will bring home. Merida shoves all she can into her suitcases because of all the laundry she didn't do (_because why would she waste money and detergent doing laundry here when she could wait till she got home and do it for free? Or, better yet, her parents will do it for her for free since their_ precious little ребенок _is home_.) Angela closes her bag and sits on her bed, texting Xavier about when they're leaving _because she's not driving in the snow_. Besides, she and Xavier are carpooling.

"I will go home and die," Merida says, throwing her bag on the ground. "I'm too tired for this."

Angela nods, lowering her phone. "Exams are over. We should celebrate."

"That's what Christmas is for." She zips up her bag but stops halfway when she has an idea. "Hey, if I leave my car here, I can ride with Daniel."

"You just want to sleep in the car."

Merida nods as she takes her phone out of her pocket and starts texting him. "Both ways if I get a ride back. I'd ride with James but I don't want to jump out of the car when he opens his mouth. Same applies with you but even more because Xavier's there and you live in Brooklyn so I wouldn't do that to you."

Angela isn't sure if she's offended. She lost Merida within her reasoning while she was talking. "Thanks?"

"And Daniel's in my area so it makes the most sense."

That means you'd have to leave when he does if you want a ride back."

Merida looks up from her phone. She thinks about her options. _Ride back with Daniel to sleep in the passenger's seat both ways but leave home earlier_. Or _drive herself both ways but can leave whenever_. She debates with herself because she isn't sure. There are pros and cons for both. But when she feels a response from Daniel, her mind is made up.

Merida starts typing that she'll be at his dorm soon. "Sacrifices have to be made."

-o-

_Edison Residence - 13:15 PM_

"It's ridiculous!" Daniel explains. "It's half a mark _for a comma_!"

"A comma you decided to put a period over," James says.

With his report rolled up like a scroll and crumpled in his fist, Daniel points it at James. James smiles in a way that's about to turn into a laugh. _He did that to spite him and Daniel hates him right now_. But James is having the time of his life. Out of all the things that could've happened to Daniel to end off the school year, this was an unfortunate irony.

"I'm burning this," Daniel states.

"You said that days ago and you still haven't burnt it," James tells him. "I think you have attachment issues."

"I do not!"

"You clearly do if you attached a period to a comma."

Daniel couldn't continue his argument because there's a knock on the door. _He would've exploded if James kept on talking. _As he goes to open it, James finishes packing. Daniel opens it and sees a woman his height wearing the bright ruby-red hood of her cloak-like coat. Daniel looks at her up and down, following the chunky buttons to the belted waist and, eventually, the heeled black boots with dark jeans. When he looks back up at her face that he can't see due to the casted shadow caused by the hood, she raises her hands to remove it. The moment he sees her perfect manicure and emerald ring on the right ring finger, he smiles excitedly.

The hood comes off and her hazel eyes pop when they make eye contact. She unbuttons the hood and it falls onto her shoulders, turning the collar down.

"God, it's a blizzard out there," Emily says.

Daniel isn't sure what to say because he didn't expect to see her here. He thought there would be another day or two and it would be back in New York. _His fiancée is here_ _at the Academy. _Months without seeing her in person and now she's right in front of him. It's a dream come true. Her smile and rosy cheeks (the latter likely from the cold) reflect his joy.

Before he could kiss her to make this moment realer and bring her into the dorm to avoid drawing attention from their neighbours _also known as her admirers_, James screeches and jumps between them. He falls to his knees and starts sobbing into her cloak that's already damp from the snow. Emily smiles, patting his head and leaning forwards to hug him back. Emily looks up at Daniel. Her face wrinkles in a confusion of _what happened to him _to which Daniel shrugs.

"Let's not waste time," Emily says, forcing James up to his feet. He continues to sob but now he's hugging her over the shoulders. Emily pats his back and closes their door with her boot before facing Daniel again. "We'll have a long car ride to catch up on the past three months for the both of us. I took a cab here from the airport and sent all my bags home so I'm going back to New York with you."

"Me too," James adds. He was about to drive himself home but _change of plans_.

Daniel nods. "That works."

Emily tilts her head a little. "James, go finish packing. We're getting out of here soon."

"Yes, ma'am."

The moment James returns to his bag, Emily walks up to Daniel and puts her arms over his shoulders, linking her hands that dangle behind his neck. Daniel holds her hips close to him.

"Comprehensive exams, how did those go?" Emily asks.

"Fine, actually," Daniel responds.

"I aced it," James pipes in.

"What?" Emily and Daniel question in the purest shock.

_Even Daniel didn't ace his. First the commas and now this? _Nobody, at least that he's heard from other people including some upper years, has aced theirs. At least, not until James. Emily claps for him.

"Apparently, I'm really good at _comprehending_," James states.

Emily stops clapping. _How did he ace it?_ But she refocuses on Daniel and turns his face to look at her. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you more," Daniel responds.

He's about to kiss her again but the door opens. To their reliefs, it's only Merida with her bag. She looks at Emily whose jaw drops from excitement upon seeing her, Daniel, James, and everyone again. Seeing Emily here feels normal to her but, _holy shit, it's been months_.

"You're coming with us?!" Emily exclaims, going over to hug Merida.

Merida pauses, still processing the situation as she accepts Emily's hug. _She really missed her friend_. "Wait, we're all in one car?"

Everyone nods, even James who zips up his jacket. Merida's process of the situation comes to a freeze because she thought James was going home in his own car. Now, she will be riding alongside Daniel, James, and Emily, but mostly James and Emily since Daniel will be too focused on the snowy streets to talk. Those two will do all the chatting. _And she'll be sitting in the back with James._

"О Боже…" Merida mutters. "I'll never sleep now."

* * *

**I didn't plan for Emily to be here but, aside from missing her, it's a nice finale to semester one.**

**On that note, I will see you all later when I finish my second French exam.**


	34. Year One: The Brightest Green

**Three online exams down, one more to go!**

**It's a special day for the story, not regarding outer world things, but in the story itself.**

* * *

Year One: The Brightest Green

_[2:04 AM]_

_Group Chat - Stark's Angels Minus One  
__Members: Merida, Angela, Emily_

_Angela: Today's Britney's birthday. We didn't plan a pop-tart excursion like for Apollo's. _

_Merida: Well, what's the plan?_

_Emily: Iqadi and I are hanging out. _

_Angela: Thanks for inviting me and Merida._

_Emily: You two just started second semester._

_Merida: Exactly. It's time for a break._

_Emily: You're welcome to join us. I'll pay for your flight and room._

_Angela: Can't. We're stuck here. What are you doing?_

_Emily: Not sure but I need a new manicure. _

_Angela: … why don't we make Britney's Pop-Tart a manicure?_

-o-

_Cafeteria - 6:59 AM_

"They left in August," Xavier says, stabbing his toast with a plastic knife. "I didn't even realize it's been five months."

Xavier woke up this morning before his alarm. Unlike other mornings, he felt a knot in his stomach. He knew something was up but couldn't put his finger on it. It wasn't until he turned on his phone, saw the date, and his wallpaper which was an old photo of him and Britney on their high school football field back when he was a football player and she a cheerleader. _Back when times were simpler._ Now it's her birthday and Xavier isn't sure how to feel. It was way different than Apollo's birthday. He was happy. Now, he's full of angst and taking it out on a piece of bread.

"Five months is…" Daniel starts, unsure where he's going with his point.

"Approximately 183 days," James responds. The other boys look at him because they didn't expect the number. _Honestly, neither did he. _"But the approximate is only because Apollo and Britney didn't leave on the first day of the month nor is Britney's birthday on the first or the last days of said month. Just remind me of the specific days and I'll tell you a more accurate answer."

Xavier stops stabbing his toast and Daniel isn't sure what to make of this situation. Instead, James takes Xavier's murdered bread, spreads some butter and jam, and eats his breakfast.

"What happened to you?" Xavier asks him.

James raises the toast. "Happy birthday, Britney."

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 13:19 PM_

A new semester means new schedules. New schedules mean needing to find a time slot that works for them. But for Britney, they were willing to leave a class early or completely skip one (which Angela and Merida did respectively). It wouldn't be long. There's a well-rated place just ten minutes out _or five minutes with Merida's driving_. Some of the other girls on campus have said it's a good place so, why not?

But now they're back from the salon with their new nails. In their group chat, they agreed on long gel nails in the brightest shade of green possible. It was to match her _magical aura_ and her eyes but Merida opted out of the glitter which Angela only put on her ring fingers as accent nails.

"I look like Christmas," Merida says, holding the green nails against her red curls.

"I like it," Angela says, flexing her fingers and holding a hand up against the light. She rarely gets her nails done and, when she does, it's never anything as extreme as this. She mostly goes for a French manicure or a simple and short pastel shade. "I could get used to this colour."

"Because it's the colour of grass? It's not like we're seeing any vegetation, or even infrastructure, with the weather we're having right now."

"I was referring to leafy greens."

Merida cringes as Angela laughs. "Oh, gross."

Angela opens her phone and goes to their group chat. She turns the screen towards Merida and shows the selfie Emily took with Iqadi. They're in Orange County with palm trees behind them. They're in shorts, sleeveless tops, sandals, and sunglasses while Angela and Merida are in boats and jackets. Unlike suntans, they got frostbite. _Goddamn New Jersey. _They should've joined them.

"Look at them!" Merida exclaims sarcastically. "Two girls in beaches and paradise while we're stuck here in the snow!"

"Girl, I wish we were in the sun," Angela says as she opens the camera. "She's in freaking California!"

Angela holds up her phone and her free hand to show off her nails, smiling brightly. In the remaining space, Merida holds a hand over her curls that cover her face. The apples of Angela's cheeks still have a red tinge from the cold and the two of them are still in their jackets and scarves. She snaps a photo and sends it, not caring about how bad it looks. But Angela would argue that they still look amazing.

-o-

_Earlier - Orange County, California - 10:04 AM_

"I'm so glad you were available!" Emily exclaims.

Emily and Iqadi sit in the top salon in Orange County. The seats were cushioned and champagne chilled. They haven't been here for long and it was already a superb experience. Britney would've loved it. Now, the two of them sit next to each other as the manicurists work on giving them the same nails as their friends in New Jersey.

"It's Britney's birthday," Iqadi responds. "I wouldn't miss it. Besides, my mother wanted me to take a break. I think they want to focus on Imanu and work on integrating him into royal responsibilities."

"I think they want him to try and adjust without you there."

Iqadi scoffs. "He _just_ got adjusted to me. It wouldn't have made a difference."

"Don't say that. I saw that he loved you from your engagement ball."

"You're being too nice."

"Please. Daniel always looks at me the way he did for you."

Iqadi raises a brow and shrugs a little, keeping a smile. _Imanu isn't Daniel but her words are genuine._ "Whatever you say. Imanu's trying to adjust to having more, shall we say, _official_ eyes on him."

"I could teach him a thing or two on that." Emily smiles. "Anyways, have you ever gotten your nails like this before?"

"No." Iqadi glances back at the green paint as it's applied to her nails. "As much as they're glamorous, they seem impractical."

"That's why we're getting gel. They're more durable than acrylics."

Once their nails are done, they take their hands out of the curing machines. They fawn at the bright green nails, flexing their fingers and watching the light reflect. Emily and Iqadi almost squeal like teenage girls although they're technically adult women. They're drinking mimosas, are married or engaged, and have a future inheriting a kingdom and enterprise. _And yet here they are flattering each other's manicures_. Britney would be so proud of them.

"Look, this matches my engagement ring," Emily says, swapping her engagement ring from her right finger to the left, where it should be.

-o-

_"__You won't believe who's engaged!_

_Emily Stark, daughter of Tony and Pepper Stark, is engaged at the young age of nineteen-years-old! The young billionaire was spotted getting her nails done in Orange County with a friend. Once her manicure was cured, she beamed to her friend about how it now matches her engagement ring, which was described by bystanders as a simple emerald with a border of diamonds around the centrepiece green gem. _

_Seeing that the ring was worn on the opposite hand in past events, its constant presence and overheard comment from Stark herself indicates that the ring has some importance. Or a major one if the engagement is true. Talk about a beauty!_

_Her mystery fiancé has yet to be revealed, especially since Stark was never spotted in a romantic relationship with anyone, but the engagement hasn't been confirmed by any Stark or other sources close to them."_

* * *

**Oh no, now the engagement is out. I can't tell if I'm being sarcastic or not because I love the next chapter.**

**In the spirit of this chapter, my nails are done bright green as well (at least, when I'm typing this and possibly not publishing. From the publishing end, they're yellow).**


	35. Year One: Secret's Out

**I am officially on break...for a week.**

**And this is another chapter I'm excited about. **

* * *

Year One: Secret's Out

_[12:30 PM]_

_Group Chat - Banner Cubed  
Members: Betty, Bruce, Daniel_

_Betty: Daniel, if you want to come home for a bit, you can._

_Bruce: Just talk to your professors or counsellors about accommodations if you need them. They'll be generous given the circumstances._

_[moments later]_

_Daniel: What are you two talking about?_

-o-

_Sci-Tech Lecture Hall - 12:32 PM_

Daniel puts his phone back in his pocket, waiting for their response. It doesn't seem like anything too concerning or else they would've called. _Or they wouldn't have dialled if they thought he was in class._ And if that was the case, they would've messaged him to leave class so he could call them. If worse comes to worst, he'll call them during his lecture's break.

"Look at that emerald," a girl nearby says. She zooms in on a photo on her phone to show her friends. "Do you even understand how beautiful emeralds are? They require their own cut that other gemstones _adopted_! Of course, she has one. It only makes sense. The other gemstones wish to be emeralds like we wish to be her. And they're the brilliant shade of beryl."

_He wonders why she knows all that about emeralds. Maybe she's in Intro to Gemmology. _The other girls fawn as Daniel passes them to get to a seat. He walks up a few steps in the auditorium-like rows, choosing a spot in the middle. He throws his bag down and is about to take out a notepad and pencil but noticed something different about the room; not in the layout but within his classmates. Everyone seems preoccupied with something outside the Academy. _Is there something in the water? How is he out of the loop? _Daniel bets that James would know but he's at one of his Operations classes today.

"It's confirmed!" A boy in the row in front of him exclaims. "There's a statement!"

"A statement for what?" Daniel asks.

"You didn't hear? Emily Stark's engaged!"

All the colour leaves Daniel's face as those last three words echo against his skull. _How did they know? How did anyone know? No wonder those girls were talking about an emerald ring. _It was a secret that's now exposed. At least he looks at surprised as every other lovesick boy around him, minus the heartbroken. Daniel's heart races and his body becomes restless. _How did this happen?_ Emily would never do this to him and neither would his friends. He doesn't want to be here anymore. He wants to run out and scream somewhere. This must be what his parents were talking about.

If there was one secret Daniel wouldn't want to be exposed, this was tied for the top of the list. The hulk inside of him is something he never wanted to think about. _At least the engagement leak is a good distraction from his own mental turmoil_. It helps that everyone around him is talking about it, analyzing press photos of her with the ring and dissecting every word she's said to get even the smallest clue. They're salivating for substance on who proposed to Emily Stark. _He can sense it. _Little did they know that the fiancé is dead centre in the room.

The professor enters and silences the class as she prepares. Daniel takes out his phone and sees the onslaught of messages from his family's group chat, his friends, and calls from Emily. _Oh god, his engagement is out there. This isn't some sick dream._ Daniel puts his phone away and slides into his chair.

A trip back home while Sci-Tech was going berserk isn't a bad idea.

-o-

Halfway through the lecture was a break. The moment it was announced, Daniel leaped out of his seat and zipped out of the room. He doubted anyone saw him since they returned to scoping for new information on Emily Stark's engagement.

Daniel walks into the nearest bathroom. He peeks underneath the stalls to see if anyone's here. When there are no feet, he locks the main door and sighs loudly. It doesn't help with his nerves but it relieves some tension. _Tension that will come back the moment he returns to class_. But it'll work for now.

He paces across the bathroom and stops after a few laps. Daniel looks at his reflection and isn't sure if he sees himself. _It's Emily Stark's fiancé, that's who it is. _Imagine if people here found out. _Oh, it's you? Really? But she's Emily Stark and you're someone so ordinary._ If only they knew who he really was. If only they knew that Emily is the love of his life outside of the superficial headlines..._and that he still has to pay off the ring he used to propose to a billionaire._

To distract himself, he takes out his phone. Scrolling through the notifications, he finds the ones from Emily to call her back. Thankfully, she picks up on the first ring.

"Babe -" Daniel starts but he's cut off by Emily's sobs and panics.

_Emily: Daniel, I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened. Iqadi and I were just getting our nails done and I didn't think anyone was listening since there was nobody there -!_

If there's one thing Daniel hates, it's when Emily's overwhelmed. And he knows that it's because she blew a secret she kept for his sake. If it was up to her, she would've revealed the engagement the moment it happened.

"No, Em," Daniel mutters. "It's fine. Nobody here knows it's me."

He's lying to her and himself. The only truth is that he's anonymous. None of this was fine but maybe it will be by the end of the day.

_Emily: Jarvis did a fine sweep of every article out there and will continue to monitor. Nobody has your name and nobody ever will. My parents are giving me hell for this but I deserve it._

Daniel shrugs although she can't see. "Emily, it's fine. Where are you?"

_Emily: My hotel room. Your parents messaged me. Are you going home because if you are, I'll join you. _

"I think it'll be alright here." He isn't even convincing himself.

_Emily: I could take the ring off if that'll make you feel better._

"But you won't be better."

There's silence on the other line because Daniel knows she's got her biting her tongue. Emily taking off the ring is the worst thing that could happen to his sanity but she has good intentions. And he knows that she would never take it off. It's her reminder of him, their love, and everything they have together like their friends and family. Emily's out there in the world and that ring is her lighthouse that will always point her back home.

"Besides," Daniel says to continue the conversation, "it won't matter. There's a statement confirming it. Who gave one?"

_Emily: I did. I should've consulted you but you weren't answering and articles were popping out from everywhere -_

Before Daniel could question, loud knocks on the door startle him. His heart jumps in his throat as Emily screams for him at the other end of the line. He almost drops his phone as he looks at the door in pure horror. _Who's there and how much did they hear?_ Maybe if he says nothing, they'll go to a different washroom. But the knocking continues.

"Shit," Daniel states.

_Emily: What was that? Babe. _

"I don't know."

"Dude, it's me," James says from the other side of the door.

"And me!" Merida exclaims.

They both sound out of breath. Daniel sighs out of relief as he opens the door for them. Once they're inside, Merida closes and locks the door behind them. James and Merida are drenched in sweat on their training uniforms. They must've sprinted here from a class they were already running in. Both of their faces are splotched and limbs sore. They can barely stand but they ran across campus for him. James takes a minute to catch his breath as Merida redoes the bun on top of her head.

"Is that Stark?" Merida asks, pointing to the phone.

Daniel nods. "She's at her hotel."

Merida grabs the phone. "I told you those nails were evil!"

_Emily: You know what, Merida, I'm having a crisis! I don't have to deal with you right now!_

"Now you do!"

As they argue over their manicures, Daniel looks at James who's sitting on the sink's counter. "I thought you already knew."

James shakes his head. "I would've told you the moment I found out. Nobody in Operations talks since we're all too busy catching our breaths."

Merida scoffs, taking a break from her call. "Speak for yourself. Anyways, grab your things and find someone to get the notes from. We're having a team meeting."

"Where?" Daniel asks.

"Your residence is a war zone so not there."

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 14:18 PM_

Their safe place is Angela and Merida's dorm. Since nobody in Operations cared about the engagement, they could technically talk as loud as they want but they wouldn't take that risk. _Who knows who's listening?_ Presently, Angela and Merida sit on their respective bunks, James is next to his girlfriend, Daniel's lying on Angela's desk, and Xavier's standing by the door. Xavier taps on his phone, finding the statement that Emily said confirming the engagement.

Xavier clears his throat once he opens a link. "'Stark doesn't deny her engagement, revealing that the emerald ring was from a proposal. She says, _[the relationship] is long distance. It's hard but incredible. I love, trust, and respect him from a distance and he feels the same for me and more. We'll be absolutely unstoppable together_.' She gave no details about her fiancé, the proposal or the wedding and pledges to never will until further notice."

Daniel nods, smiling a little. "I love her."

"So, it's out there," Angela states.

"I blame Britney's birthday," Merida says. The story was leaked on Britney's birthday since it happened due to their green manicures.

Xavier crosses his arms. "Merida, you don't have to shift blame that was never on you."

"And you don't have to defend someone who isn't here to be blamed."

Xavier glares at her. Merida mocks his flare with an exaggerated pouted lip.

"You two, zip it." Angela focuses back on Daniel. "Maybe Sci-Tech will forget about it once the media's buzz dies down."

James laughs. "Babe, Emily is the program's goddess. They're not sleeping on this one."

"They have to eventually."

"Yeah, when they have answers they'll never get."

"Maybe the timing on this is right," Daniel says. "You know, this being leaked on Britney's birthday."

"How so?" Xavier asks.

"I got the ring with her."

-o-

_Yesterday - Asgard's Palace_

Yesterday, Sigyn Lokisdottir turned nineteen-years-old. Yesterday, Sigyn Lokisdottir didn't celebrate.

Asgard wasn't in the mood. Nobody was in the mood. She wasn't in the mood.

And it's been like that for months. _They did nothing for Apollo's birthday and he's their golden boy, so why would they do anything for her?_ She could never tell what day it was or how much time passed since her last thought. If nobody reminded her, she would've forgotten her birthday. Loki brought it up in passing and she shrugged it off.

She's been dead on the inside for months. Apollo should be as well but he's still throwing wood into a fire that will inevitably burn out. The smoke is getting to his brain and slowly driving him insane. She's tried talking to him, convincing him to stop, but he's too focused on that flame to listen to reason. _Hell, he probably hates her now._ She knows she does.

Sometimes, like now, she would spend time alone in the throne room. Everyone else was busy catering to Apollo's needs. _Apollo. Their poor golden heir who heard a bad story and now can't sleep at night without screaming._ Nobody cares about Sigyn anymore and she isn't offended because she feels the same way about herself.

But that doesn't matter because she's sitting on Asgard's throne. Her back is craned over one arm and her legs are stretched out over the other. She looks at everything upside down. The blood rushes to her brain as she watches the ends of her hair falling to the ground. The building pressure in her skull combined with seeing the world from this angle is exponentially better than her current reality.

Even seeing Apollo upside down as he walks in the room is funny. He doesn't question her laughing because she's been more insane than usual these past few months. _Around the same time, he started spiralling. _It should be comforting that they're cousins and are sharing this experience, but they've never been more apart. And it grows worse every day.

"Here's to the fake birth certificate club!" Sigyn exclaims, holding up a fist. She's still upside down so she's pointing her arm to the ground. If she had a glass of wine, it would've been better _and all over the floor_.

"That's a club I never wanted to be in," Apollo responds. "You damn well know that."

Sigyn straightens, facing him right side up as she looks at him. She shrugs apathetically but barely moves her shoulders. "Well, welcome to the club about life never going your way. You're the president and I'll be your vice-chair. At least our death certificates will be real."

* * *

**I won't bother listing the Asgardian counterparts since they'll be the same set of chapters unless stated otherwise. **


	36. Year One: The Pym-Banner Talk

**I still remember the moment I came up with this idea. I was leaving summer school a year ago. I was standing at the bus stop and, for some reason, this idea came to me.**

**Also, because I have around fifty chapters banked, I'll be doing weekly updates on Wednesdays until further notice.**

* * *

Year One: The Pym-Banner Talk

_Darwin Library - 10:24 AM_

James walks through the library, weaving through studying students. He makes his way to the back corner where he sees Daniel occupying a table made for four (not an uncommon sight here since everyone wanted to be alone). Daniel looks up from his work as James sits across from him, moving some papers to the side although he doesn't need the space.

"I have the perfect distraction for you amid recent events," James says, referring to the engagement leak. He sits in the chair diagonal from Daniel.

Sci-Tech wasn't as enthusiastic about Emily Stark's engagement now compared to when it was first announced. Occasionally, it would be heard in conversation. People would have their theories and conspiracies, especially when a tabloid released a new striking _and bullshit_ headline. All Daniel wanted to say was that it's _an engagement, not the moon landing_. It wasn't that difficult to understand but he's the mysterious fiancé so he isn't on the same page as them. _He's the question mark in the headline_. But if James has the perfect distraction, he's interested.

"What is it?" Daniel asks.

"We can work on a project we have due later."

Daniel raises a brow. "What project?"

"It was assigned last term. I partnered us up."

_No bells._ "What class?"

"Molecular compounds and structures."

"What the presentation?"

"We have to teach chapter 36."

"What's chapter 36?"

James shrugs. Daniel groans as he slides everything in front of him away. _Of course, James doesn't know. He doesn't even have the textbook. _He takes out a fresh notepad and starts sharpening a pencil. James, on the other, leans back in his chair and starts texting. Probably Angela, based on that smile. James puts his phone face down on the table to refocus on Daniel.

"You could've told me about this assignment earlier," Daniel says.

"I did tell you earlier," James responds. "Now is earlier."

"When's it due?"

"In six hours."

Daniel's pencil breaks mid-fragment. "James!"

Everyone shushes Daniel since they're in a library and James almost falls out of his chair. _How did James _not_ expect him to freak out_? When Daniel expected _earlier, _he was hoping that a week would be the smallest amount of time. But that's his mistake since it's James and not anyone else. _What definition of _small_ did he expect from the boy who can change sizes?_

"We don't have time," Daniel whispers.

"We have six hours."

"That's not enough for an entire chapter that we have to teach ourselves first."

"I did the 12-minute run in 5 minutes."

"That's not how that works."

"Yeah, my prof said the same thing. Anyways, let's get started. We're wasting time."

-o-

_Operations Training Room - 11:33 AM _

Angela and Merida sit next to each other in the second half of _Introduction to Aviation_. The first term consisted of learning the rules and etiquette of the sky, managing the basics of the flying vessels, and learning the controls. They wrote their written exams during the winter exam term, earned their flying permits, and were now allowed to learn to fly the real bird. At least, not yet.

Unlike cars, quinjets and standard jets, there were so many more buttons and knobs. They were all around, even sometimes in hologram form on the windows if necessary. But this was no issue for Angela and Merida. They can turn knobs, press buttons, pull levers, and flick switches. _No problem_. The only issue was their manicures from Britney's birthday that they still have. Despite their gel nails being _more durable_, their hands were almost rendered useless due to the length about their nail.

As of now, they're using fake control panels for the basic flying vehicles from sitting in desks.

"I don't get how Emily functions in these," Merida comments, tapping her green nails against the wheel.

"Me neither," Angela responds. "Maybe the same method used for wearing heels."

"Exactly." Merida perks up a little with an idea. "Wanna have a bet?"

"No."

"Come on, you didn't even hear it."

"I don't have to." She's known Merida for eighteen years so she's aware of the kinds of _bets_ that they've done. In terms of odds, Merida has a higher success rate compared to the rest of them.

Merida turns her chair to the side to face Angela as their professor shadows some other students. "Look, we both live a _hard life_ in Operations. And our lives will be even harder with these stupid nails."

"What's your point?" Angela questions, starting to show interest.

"Last one to keep all ten nails on wins."

"You're on."

Angela holds out a hand and Merida firmly grips it. They feel the tips of their nails lightly poking each other.

-o-

_Sci-Tech Lecture Hall - 16:44 PM_

It felt like the longest six hours until their time was up. Daniel and James read the chapter, which was over fifty pages, condensed it as much as they could. And, from their summary, they taught themselves the material. _Electronegativity and bond polarity. Easy stuff_. The hard part was creating a cohesive presentation that didn't look like they prepared it six hours prior.

The moment they stepped into class, their professor gestured them to the front while he took a seat in the front row. James and Daniel smile at him before standing beside the board, waiting for everyone to filter in first.

"I'm not qualified to teach, but I know more about this than them," James says, waving towards the class.

"It's fine," Daniel responds. "Everyone has different subsets of knowledge."

-o-

Thirty-six minutes later and the boys reach the end of the chapter. Truth be told, they didn't have enough time to make a proper ending but James said in advance that he would wing it and Daniel trusted him since James knew how to make a lasting impression _unlike him_. Daniel's just glad that this presentation is over. He feels that it went well, almost as if he's glad that he didn't waste weeks stressing over it. _No wonder people do things at the last minute._

"Thanks for coming to The Pym-Banner Talk," James concludes.

Daniel wants to facepalm. _Was that really going to be their ending? Apparently._ James smiles proudly to everyone and Daniel has to stop him from bowing. The class stares at them for a few seconds before slowly growing into applause. The boys look at their professor who finishes writing his final comments before standing up and collecting his papers.

"The quality of what you both said is good," the professor tells them. "Your quantity is a tad excessive."

"I said that about the textbook," James responds.

"I wrote the textbook."

James clears his throat and can feel Daniel wanted to facepalm. He laughs awkwardly, backing up to let Daniel take control of the situation. He's likely going to say a lot of more stupid things.

"You know, you babble when you're nervous," Daniel points out.

James nods. "It was a learning experience that involved all of us as a class. We were on an even playing field so we could learn together. What's that called?"

"Experiential learning."

"That!"

"And sometimes people need excessive words. Rephrasing helps with retention."

"Exactly."

The professor nods, smiling brightly at them. "Again. Your quality is good, quantity is excessive."

* * *

**Chapter 36 is this chapter. I did that on purpose.**

**And out of all the classes I've taken, two of my textbooks have been written by my prof.**


	37. Year One: The B-R Renormalization Part 1

**The title of this trilogy was too long to fit in the navigation bar.**

* * *

Year One: The Barton-Rogers Renormalization Part One

_Operations' Workout Room - 10:10 AM_

Angela jogs at a speed that others consider a sprint when being chased by ferocious and starving wildlife. Some people nearby have tried to match her pace but gave up after a yard or to prevent themselves from flying off and crashing against the wall. Angela would barely glance over to spare them the embarrassment but she mentally applauds their effort. It was and safer than what she saw people attempting to lift at the other side of the gym.

The same happens to Xavier but he isn't observant enough to notice. That's why she notices everything.

Tired of running in a straight line, she decides to turn on the incline. To her surprise, when she pushed the button mid-run, the tip breaks off. Angela yelps because, although a little snapped, it hurt her entire nail. People turn heads and she bites down on her lip and keeps her stride.

_That counts as a loss for her bet with Merida_. Whatever. She has nine more. _Merida's more reckless anyways._ She's fine but now staying on flat land.

-o-

_Wakanda's General Hospital - 11:15 AM_

Now that Iqadi is at a proper age, one of her new royal tasks is to represent her father in her many state duties and carry out important work in public service areas. It's a chance for her to better understand the wide spectrum of her country and understand their interests, problems, and concerns. Imanu is by her side since he's still under the same training for this work.

Today, they're visiting their biggest hospital branch, specifically looking at the newborn intensive care unit. Iqadi and Imanu plan to look at the current birth technology and general delivery plans. Their main goals, and those on behalf of the royal family, are focused on improving maternal and infant mortality. Wakanda's numbers are already well compared to the rest of Africa but there's always room for improvement and they hope to share their research.

"Don't be scared to ask questions," Iqadi whispers as they walk through the hospital hallway.

As usual per royal protocol, Imanu walks behind Iqadi since she's the direct heir. As usual per her request, she allowed him to walk by her side. As usual per his response, he said he was fine. As unusual per his actions, he was walking closer to her.

"You went to California for this?" Imanu asks.

He reaches forwards to take her hand. Iqadi stops walking for a moment and notices that he's referring to her manicure. Iqadi stretches out her fingers to show her green nails.

"You know that I did," Iqadi responds, holding his hand. "And I didn't mean _those_ kinds of questions. Now focus."

"I am," he responds.

Iqadi smiles as she squeezes his hand. "Not on my nails. Now hush."

Imanu smiles as she looks ahead and follows their guide. He stays by her side, matching her steps across the tiled floors. Some doctors and patients wave excitedly and Iqadi and Imanu return the gesture. It's the simple things like a warm welcome that make this work enjoyable.

"Were you born in a hospital?" Imanu asks.

Iqadi sighs with a smile. _At least he was asking a somewhat relevant question. _"Does the hospital wing in the palace count?"

"I'd say so," Imanu responds.

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason."

Iqadi looks at him. "There's always a reason behind questions. Do you think about having a baby?"

"I've had my mind on other things but I'd be lying if I said it was never a thought. Why, do you?"

Iqadi smiles a little. "I have to think about the future."

She looks ahead and looks through a window at the wall. On the other side, there are rows of newborn babies in incubators. Iqadi stops following the guide and walks closer to the window, letting go of Imanu. She rests her hands on the ledge and takes a second to stare at every single swaddled baby. Iqadi's seen many before but now, for some reason, she feels more amazed.

She knows she has to have a baby one day to make her heir, but she never considered being pregnant and motherhood. _She's only nineteen. She doesn't have to be concerned about her biological clock. S_he can't deny that looking at these babies make her want one. _And Imanu's thought about it before. _Iqadi pictures herself holding one, rocking it in her arms, and it gives her a warm feeling through her bones. She knows that Imanu would look cute holding one, that's for sure.

"Iqadi?" Imanu calls, approaching her from behind.

"And the future is adorable," Iqadi finishes, holding his hand again.

-o-

_Academy Courtyard - 11:37 AM_

Between classes, Xavier and Orchid walk through the Academy courtyard, passing by other students going in various directions. Xavier was heading back to his dorm to change out of his training uniform while Orchid came from the cafeteria. They ran into each other on the way and now they're here.

"How are things with you and Brody?" Xavier asks her.

Orchid shrugs casually. "It's not the high school romance I've strived for but we're, what's the term, booty calls? Like we show up to each other dorms when we call and, ya know…"

Xavier nods quickly. "I get it." He clears his throat. "Is that what you want?"

"It's a work in progress." Orchid smiles, hugging herself around the waist in excitement. She turns to face Xavier, grinning brightly. "But he's an actual prince, Xavier. Let me tell you."

Knowing how blunt Orchid is, he shakes his head. "You don't have to."

"He lets me finish before him and he'd stay up for me if I said I'd be late."

_And she didn't hear him_. " … how romantic."

To his relief, they see Merida approaching them. At the sight of a girl who could help or listen, Orchid waves her over. Xavier's glad that it's Merida and not his sister. _As if this conversation wasn't weird enough for him. _He's never going to imagine being one end of this conversation and his sister the other. _Never_.

"Merida!" Orchid exclaims. "What should I do?"

Merida shrugs. She isn't even sure about the issue but that doesn't matter. "Just fuck him, I couldn't care less."

Xavier wonders why he's still here. Although these two girls are some of his best friends, he can't help but ask _why._

"Good advice," Orchid tells her.

-o-

_Operations' Weight Room - 11:45 AM_

After her workout, Angela went to the showers to freshen up. Everything was going great in there for a shower. Even when she dropped the shampoo bottle, it was fine. It didn't even break or spill open. Stark was right on this type of shampoo. _As always_.

Then she bent down to pick up the bottle. When she grasped it, she heard a crack. For a second, she thought it was the bottle despite it being plastic. _Please, no. That was expensive!_ Her eyes flutter towards a small green item following the water into the drain. Angela looks at it for a second before recognizing it as a piece of her nail.

_At least she didn't feel it break._ But she'll notice where it fractured when she massages shampoo in her hair.

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 11:59 AM_

Merida closes the door behind her with her foot before kicking off her sneakers. She tosses her bag by the foot of her desk and takes off her jacket. _All she wants to do now is sleep. _It's barely noon and she isn't even tired, but she wants to sleep. She sort of believes her bullshit that says it'll make up for a future all-nighter.

Merida heads over to the ladder to climb onto her bunk. Somehow, maybe because she's tired, she grabs the rung wrong. Because her foot was already in the air ready to climb, she immediately lost balance. In an attempt to save herself, she fails and falls to the ground.

She didn't even stick the landing. Merida lands funny and curses to herself in a medley of languages. _All she wanted was a ебля nap. _She yanks her arms out from under her body and the first thing she sees in a broken nail.

Merida groans. _Worst nap ever. _

-o-

_Cafeteria - 12:22 PM_

With damp hair, Angela approaches Daniel and James in the cafeteria. They see her arrive and sit next to James and she notices that they're in the middle of a conversation. Angela watches them and, based on their faces and fragments she picks up, she can tell the general mood of their conversation. James is complaining about something and Daniel's calling him out on it. _So small talk_.

"My prof is so bad," James whines. "I haven't learned anything all term."

Daniel doesn't even look up from his notepad. "Maybe because you haven't been to a single class all term."

James grunts, trying to think of a comeback. He looks at Angela and sees her grinning. _She was right. _Then James lights up because seeing her gave him a rebuttal.

"...because she's so bad!" James finishes.

_Not a good one._

"How's your day going, Angela?" Daniel asks, clearly not wanting to deal with James anymore. She can't blame him.

"It could be worse," Angela says. She shows them her hands and the broken nails are evident. When she gets back to her dorm, she'll either remove them or smoothen the edges. She and Merida shouldn't have skimmed out on costs for the manicures but it was too late to fix them. _At least they didn't contract a disease._ "Look, I'm about to go crazy."

"So the nails were for Britney!" James exclaims.

Angela ignores him, hating how much that makes sense. James can see her holding back because she's biting down on her lips.

"I don't get it," Angela says to Daniel. "I'm doing everything I usually do but now I can't function."

"You're renormalizing," Daniel says.

Angela blinks. Not only did she not understand that but he came up with that conclusion so quickly. "What?"

"Your natural nails have changed but every other variable - your routine - remains constant."

Angela nods slowly. Those words went over her head but whatever. All she got from that was that it's her manicure's fault.

"While you're here," Daniel starts. He grabs his bag from beside him and pulls out his scientific calculator for her. "Can you reset this?"

Angela isn't sure what she was just asked but James takes out his phone and starts recording. This will be a memory … and something Emily will laugh at. Angela takes the calculator and searches the back for the reset button. She uses the pinky nail as a pusher but the tip unexpectedly breaks. Daniel's jaw drops as he mumbles an apology and takes his calculator back. _He still wants to burst out laughing._ James is holding back laughter as he continues recording his girlfriend's simmering outburst. _Emily will love this_. Angela screeches and James zooms in on not only her face but on Xavier and Orchid who stop mid-step on their way towards them. They look at this whole situation with so much confusion.

"I will never understand manicures," Orchid mutters to Xavier. "Is it safe to approach?"

Xavier watches James continuing to record, Daniel sitting cautiously, and Angela banging her head on the table. "Yeah, I think it's fine."

* * *

***coughs* foreshadowing *coughs***

**To determine who lost and nail (and ultimately won the bet), I flipped a coin. One girl was heads, the other tails. Each flip meant they lost or broke a nail. And for anyone who's curious, my green nails are still in great condition (minus some minor chips). (As I'm published this, which is about four months after I wrote this chapter, my nails are a whitish-green. They're in perfect condition since I just did them yesterday).**


	38. Year One: The B-R Renormalization Part 2

**In terms of their manicure bet, this chapter is entertaining.**

* * *

Year One: The Barton-Rogers Renormalization Part Two

_Atlantic Residence - 9:56 AM_

After spending the night elsewhere, Angela returns to her dorm. She walks in quietly since it's dark so Merida might still be asleep. To her surprise her friend is awake, sitting in the middle of her bed, and on her laptop. Merida smiles at Angela who turns on the light. _Staring at a screen in the dark is bad for the eyes._ But Merida already knows what's up with her.

"How are your nails?" Merida asks, closing her laptop.

"I've lost and/or broken six," Angela reports. She heads over to her closet to search for her training uniform.

Merida tilts her head as she waits for an explanation. It never comes. Angela just takes out a uniform, removes it from the hangar, and throws the outfit over her desk chair.

Merida clears her throat. "Last I checked, you only had three fallen soldiers. How did that double overnight? What were you doing?"

"James."

Although Merida saw that response coming, it was still disgusting to hear. She'll never get used to it and she doesn't want to.

Angela sighs. "Life is hard."

"So was he," Merida says as she leaps out of her bunk.

Angela stares at her in complete shock. "I can't believe _you_, of all people, are saying that."

Merida nods, feeling a bitter taste in her mouth. "I'm disgusted with myself and will leave to rinse my mouth with soap."

Angela laughs. "Don't break a nail in there!"

-o-

_Operations Lecture Room - 10:51 AM_

Merida was excited when she walked into class today. Not only is she winning the bet against Angela but her class today is on lock-picking. Merida already knows the mechanics behind picking a lock. Back in Girl Scouts, she and some other girls taught themselves while selling cookies. Now she can properly learn how to do it and even get some cool tools to help.

"Everything you do has to be approached with caution," their prof instructs.

Merida scoffs to herself as she looks at the example lock she and her classmates got to follow along. _They're picking locks, not defusing bombs. At least, not yet. _She would be enjoying herself more if she didn't have these stupid nails limiting her precision.

This ridiculous manicure made it difficult for her to hold the tools, especially since she has to hold a few at once. When her fingers pinch together, the nails would stab each other. There would be this clicking sound that drives her insane. Or the nail would dig into her skin and distract her from the lock.

_Fuck Britney. _These nails aren't worth it. She could've unlocked this padlock minutes ago.

But these cursed nails give her an idea.

Merida drops the tools and scans over her shoulder to see where the prof is. They're helping someone near the front. _Perfect_. Merida picks up one of the tools and starts prodding at her non-dominant pointer nail. Once the tip breaks off, she makes a reminder to file that down. _Bless these cheap nails._ Merida takes the broken tip and jams it into the keyhole. When she feels one of the gears shifts, she starts working with the tools.

A smile breaks out when the lock clicks and opens. Merida sighs relieved as she sits back and swings the lock around on her finger.

-o-

_Why did she take so many lecture-based courses?_ Because year one of Operations demands it. _Why did she take a year-long course about SHIELD's history? _Because her diploma demands it.

Out of all her courses, she hates this one the most. This could've been a half-credit course but no. SHIELD has been around for so long that its history could be its own degree. _Maybe it is in Communications …_ She will never use this information and, based on her past midterms and online quizzes, she won't even need it on the exam. Merida's more pissed off that SHIELD is _oh so secretive _that half of the information isn't available online. She pities future students who will have more history to learn about.

And her professor is so boring. _Why did she even go to class today? _All she's doing is twirling a curl in her fingers and she's alert again when her hand is stuck. Merida sits up and tugs at her hand but it's caught on something. One of her curls snagged onto her nail.

"ебать…" Merida grumbles to herself as she continues to try and pull it out without making a scene. _She really should've skipped. _

Screw it. Her scissors are in her other bag. Merida holds the root of her curl with her free hand and bites down on her tongue as she yanks her other hand free. Nobody notices but she's holding back every wince of pain. Once she gets back to her dorm, she will scream into a pillow.

It wasn't ripping out her curl that hurt. That was nothing. It was the ripped nail that joined it. Both victims sit on the table in front of her. _How did she rip out two nails? _Her hair is too much to handle.

Before she could dispose of the evidence, she hears muffled laughing from behind her. Merida turns around and sees Brody dying in silent laughter. He saw everything, including Merida's narrowed eyes. Merida glances at her hand and notices that she's missing four green nails from that hand. The only one remaining is a perfectly manicured middle finger.

Merida turns around in her seat and gives it to him. _Total Britney move but still, fuck her_.

-o-

The lame class finally ends and Merida can't be happier. She stands up after what felt like the longest time. After stretching her limbs and putting her stuff in her bag, including her rogue curl for some reason. _Can't leave that lying around. _(The nails can just end up on the floor. Fuck them). Merida puts on her leather jacket, reaching back to free her curls.

She looks down to zip up her jacket. It's second nature to her but then she hears something snap. _Another nail. It better not be her beloved middle fingernail. _Merida looks at her hand and it's not. It was just another stupid nail from her other hand.

Merida sighs. She's never felt so relieved before.

"That's sad."

Merida turns around to glare at Brody. The last thing she needs now is judgment, especially from _him_ of all people. Instead of responding with a remark, she gives him her beloved middle finger. This time, she doesn't even have to stick it up since it already stands out.

-o-

_Cafeteria - 16:26 PM_

"Do you need help?" Daniel asks.

Merida looks at him, the soda can in her hand, and back at him. He looks invested in helping her but Merida can handle this. She's been opening cans for as long as she can remember. Then again, she said the same about zipping up her jacket but then she zipped up her hand.

"I got this," Merida says proudly.

She ended up breaking a nail.

Merida looks up defeated. Her body shakes but she wears a plastered smile that raises concern in Daniel.

"I'll be back."

Merida passes him the can and she scurries off. Daniel turns around and watches Merida disappear. He opens the can as he hears her cuss out and scream. People turn over, wondering about the sudden noise, and see Merida return looking as if nothing happened. She's brand new and she's calm.

"Thank you," Merida says as she takes back the can and walks away.

Daniel keeps quiet as she leaves. _What did happen?_


	39. Year One: The B-R Renormalization Finale

**Out of all the multi-parter chapters that I've written. I'm surprised I never ended one with the word finale. Like I've gone up to seventeen parts in _PNG_ and never ended one by calling it finale (but I'll probably change that when I get around to revamping that story).**

* * *

Year One: The Barton-Rogers Renormalization Finale

_Operations' Training Room A - 12:47 PM_

It took her way too long to tie her shoes but she couldn't care less. At least they're tight. All she wants is for these stupid nails to disappear. If she wasn't in a bet with Merida, she would've had them professionally removed by now.

Angela starts running her laps alongside her classmates. Today isn't an evaluation day so she runs at a pace like her classmates. It feels like she's speed-walking but she'll take the light day. Then someone collides into another person behind her. Before she could speed up, she becomes a victim of the domino effect and falls over. Everyone topples on top of her and she was the unlucky one at the bottom. She doesn't have to curse because everyone on top of her does it for her.

Angela wouldn't be surprised if she broke a nail on the way down. She hopes she does because that meant it was one step closer to this bet ending. She wants to believe that if the bet never happened, her manicure would be perfect.

Hell, she already lost count of how many bit the dust.

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 12:49 PM_

Merida wakes up. For a moment, she thinks that she was sleeping in the night like a normal person but sees that she's wearing her training uniform. Still feeling disoriented, she turns over and sees her phone. The time, the date, missed messages, and her lock screen flash in her face. _Too much_. Merida puts her phone down.

She's not sure how long she was asleep or how many classes she was missing. It doesn't matter. Merida looks at her hands and checks her nails. She isn't sure how she lost another one but doesn't care.

She chooses to go back to sleep. It's New _fucking _Jersey_. _Weird shit happens all the time.

-o-

_Operations' Training Room A - 12:55 PM_

Their professor is yelling at them to get up and continue running. _Falling is no excuse._ Angela is suffocating at the bottom of the dogpile. Everyone around her is squirming, trying to get some footing to stand up. Her classmates scream when someone accidentally pulls their hair, puts their weight someone on their body, steps on a limp - everything possible. Angela isn't the only one complaining because she wants to get out. _How did Xavier avoid falling in this?_

If there was one thing Angela wants to yell, it's to tell everyone to _stop squirming like worms _because it'll tangle them even more.

But she's getting out of here.

Using skills she's adopted from Camp SHIELD, being raised by a soldier, and having a childhood of roughhousing with Apollo and Xavier, Angela gets on her stomach. She finds an opening and uses all her strength to army crawl out of Weight Class A's pyramid.

"Thank god…" Angela mutters once she can see the sun and breathe properly.

Without looking back, she sprints. Angela doesn't finish her laps but heads back inside. Angela runs to the locker room and opens her locker. She shoves her things in her bag and slams the door.

Angela pauses as her body unexpectedly tenses. She turns back to her locker and sees that she shut the door on her hand. _Shockingly, being trampled hurt more. How did she not lose a nail in the pyramid?_ Angela looks at it, unsure about how to process this situation. Angela takes her hand and tests it by opening and closing a fist. Nothing's throbbing or broken. _Bless super soldier genes. _But she broke a nail. _Curse cheap manicures_.

Now she only has one nail left.

Angela looks at it for longer than she should. Was this worth it? Is keeping one stupid nail worth having a laugh from Merida?

"Screw this," Angela says, biting it off. She'll fully remove it later.

To her surprise, Angela laughs. All the tension from her stupid bet is gone like her manicure. She's free. She can have bare nails for the rest of her life. Never has a manicure traumatized her like this.

-o-

_Atlantic Residence - 13:44 PM_

Merida wakes up again. _Did she sleep through the week?_ No. She turns around and sees Angela walk in with a smile. Unsure if she should be intrigued, disturbed or concerned, Merida sits up on her bed and waits for an explanation.

Angela sighs, putting down her bag by the door. She looks up at Merida in her bunk and holds up her hands, nails facing her friend.

"I just soaked these is acetone from our RA," Angela says. "You win the bet."

Merida blinks. _Yay?_ She thought she would be more happy about that ... and she is. She just cheers to herself by pumping her hands in the air, laughing in Angela's face, and going back to sleep.

Angela smiles to herself as she sits on her bed. She takes her phone out of her back pocket and calls Emily.

"Your green manicure," Angela starts. "What's the status?"

_Emily: I removed them a week later and got a new one. I went for a nude colour since I have to go to a presentation for my parents. Apparently, bright green nails draw too much attention, like Britney._

Angela laughs a little. _She misses Britney_. "Mine is gone, Merida's is partially gone. Operations is too hard for this."

_Emily: I bet -_

"No more bets!"

_Emily: … I bet that Iqadi's is still in perfect condition. I bet that it looks like she got it that morning._

Angela scoffs. "I can't bet on something I agree on."

-o-

_Wakanda's Royal Training Room - 13:52 PM_

Iqadi walks off the training floor, sweating. She brushes her hair back from sticking to her temples and forehead. Her nails comb through her scalp and they're surprisingly soothing. _Better than any comb she owns_. She approaches Imanu who's smiling brightly at her. Iqadi copies it, breathing more to catch her breath.

"How long were you watching?" Iqadi asks.

"The whole time," Imanu responds. "I wanted to see these in action."

Imanu takes one of her hands and looks at her manicure. He's not used to seeing her with nails like this although she's had them for a while already. They were still glossy and shaped perfectly, _like her now post-training session_.

"They're not claws," Iqadi says. She continues to smile at him and his fascination towards the manicure.

"Imagine them being black like your suit or even a dark purple like vibranium."

Iqadi looks at her hand and imagines the different scenarios. Admittedly, they'll look nice. They'd be even better claws than the bright green. Iqadi looks at Imanu and grins. She lightly scratches his arm with her _claws_ and he pulls back.

"That's ticklish!" He yells, keeping his arm to himself.

But Iqadi steps forwards and traces his skin again. She barely grazes it but can feel goosebumps forming on her arms. Imanu keeps on backing away but she keeps on persisting. Eventually, he starts running away and she begins the chase like a panther.

She can easily outrun him but she gives him this advantage. _It's more fun that way_. They laugh loudly as they run through the palace like children.

* * *

**The result of my green nails is that I am Emily. I changed my green nails for a light pink-nude colour (like I gave Emily because I'm the matriarch and I miss her). As I'm publishing this, mine are now a dark blue.**


	40. Year One: Head in the Clouds

**This chapter starts with a flashback and it's one of the cutest flashbacks to date.**

* * *

Year One: Head in the Clouds

_Four Years Ago - Foster House _

Xavier wasn't sure why Apollo called him over. It could've been to hang out since that's always the case but when Xavier arrived at his house, Apollo wasn't even there. It was just his mother. Jane wasn't sure where Apollo went but he was out since this morning. She did let Xavier stick around till Apollo came home.

He waits for thirty minutes. Xavier hesitates on leaving and texting him later, but it's Apollo and it took him around an hour to get here. With his luck, he'd be halfway across the Brooklyn Bridge when Apollo called him back.

Finally, Apollo comes bursting through the door. Jane walks over to see the commotion and Xavier stands up as well.

"Dude!" Apollo exclaims to him. "I got my licence!"

Before Xavier could react, Apollo grabs him in one of those bro hugs that completely consume the other person. It doesn't help that Apollo is way, _way_ stronger than him with his Asgardian genes. Regardless of suffocating, someone in their friend group got a licence! _A driver's licence! _Xavier's still working on his but now one exists for them to use (and likely exploit). They can finally drive around without relying on their parents. That means more freedom to go wherever and even a later curfew.

"Yes!" Xavier finally cheers once he's free. "Let's go!"

From behind the two boys, Jane's eyes widen. Sure, she's happy for her son but she only wished that someone else got their licence first. She taught Apollo how to drive and was there for some of his practice and, dear God, that boy did inherit something from her. _Why couldn't it have been a greater love for academics?_ If only Xavier looked at her for a second so she could mouth _take the bus_.

-o-

_Present Day - Sci-Tech Lecture Hall - 12:50 PM_

"These online quizzes are so hard," a classmate complains.

James looks up from his phone to pay attention. He didn't find the quizzes that difficult. Sometimes, he scored a perfect. Others, he made a mistake and lost a fraction of a mark. _Nothing worth spending another thirty minutes to redo and fix._ But he thought everyone found them simple. There are a lot of people in this classroom that are smarter than him, but now he realizes they're not smart in the same ways as him.

It's his time to shine.

James stands up from his seat and sits next to his struggling classmate.

"How do you do the quizzes?" James asks.

"I flip through the book -"

"Like the actual physical copy?" James questions.

When the classmate nods, James pauses. _There was a physical copy? _People bought it. Sure, people have their preferences but James found life easier with his downloaded version. Mostly because there was nothing to carry. It helped that it was free.

"Okay…" James mutters. He points at his classmate's laptop. "May I?"

"Sure." He slides over the laptop.

James starts typing and downloads the online version of the textbook. When he opens the file, he turns the laptop to face his classmate and other people start to peer over.

"So you scroll to the chapter or section the quiz is on and know the page range," James starts, pointing along the screen as he talks. "Then you look at the question, find a keyword. Let's use _isotope_. Press control and F. This search bar we all know will appear. Type isotope and it will show you where it is in the whole book but just use the pages associated with the chapter."

Everyone around James is silent. They have the same stunned faces as when they found out Emily was engaged. _Oh my god, are they going to worship him like her? How flattering._ James's ego won't survive but thrive which is all that matters. He and Emily are too powerful for this school. That's why they couldn't attend the Academy together ... it would explode.

"You don't have the textbook?" Someone asks him.

"I have this online version and my roommate is the textbook," James responds. _Look at him being a saviour. How did the others survive up to now without him?_

James lets his classmates play with the online textbook as he heads back to his seat. When he sits down, he notices the girl next to him browsing through face masks. James peeks for a moment before going on his phone to search for some better ones. He dated a girl into skincare and all things dermatology and cosmetology so he absorbed that knowledge through osmosis when she would talk. _He would consider himself an aesthetician. His skin is flawless._ But when he finds the right store, he copies the link and airdrops it to her.

James watches the girl receive the notification. She stares at it for a few seconds, not accepting or rejecting it. When she turns to face him, she sees his stupid grin.

"Okay, the ones I sent you are more expensive," James starts. "But it'll be worth your money since you'll get the results you want faster."

She eyes him for a few seconds longer before accepting the link.

-o-

_Operations' Aviation Training Wing - 13:24 PM_

Today is (sort of) the day.

After obtaining their learner's permits to fly and trying out simulations, they got access to the aviation training wing. In front of them were quinjets. Everyone was amazed and the professor let them. _Most of them have only seen these vehicles in news reports. _Angela, Xavier, and Merida have seen them before and have even been in them, but the idea of being the pilot is mind-boggling. The concept of flying is still a big one to grasp.

From beside him, Xavier can feel Angela's nerves behind her smile. He remembers helping her practice driving because she was so neurotic behind the wheel. She couldn't understand why the other drivers wouldn't drive according to the rules. That's why their parents, mostly their dad, wouldn't let her drive until she had to get a licence. Xavier has memories of forcing her to pull over and refusing to let her continue driving until she calmed down. It's times like that when he misses Apollo's driving. _Not really. _

Even now, he would do most of the driving if they had to go somewhere. It's better that way. He would rather have her be a backseat driving and tell him that he's breaking so many rules over wanting to jump out of the passenger's seat every second.

"You can barely drive a car so should you handle something bigger that flies?" Xavier asks his sister.

Angela glares at him although she knows he's joking. "Maybe I would do better with more space and no neighbours."

"You're a flight risk for birds."

"They'll be smart enough to fly away."

"Pay attention to the classes on crash landing."

Angela mocks him. "It'll be a crash course."

Xavier cringes. "That's a bad one."

"As if you can do better."

"If you're next to me making those stupid jokes, I will crash the plane."

They laugh amongst themselves before the professor calls everyone's attention. They're all standing underneath a quinjet. Some eyes wander around since everything still feels so surreal.

"It's usually in the cockpit where you learn about your limits and liberation," he explains. "Soaring is mastered by those who practiced self-control and discipline. It's not meant for emotional, impulsiveness, carelessness."

Merida straightens, especially when she thinks the professor looked at her as he said that. She feels attacked. Sure, she's impulsive and careless but she isn't emotional. _Fuck him._ It's her emotions that lead her to be impulsive and careless.

"Impulsiveness is passion," the prof continues. "Carelessness is bold. Emotions are human."

That time, she's positive he looked at her.

-o-

_Wakanda's Council Room - 14:32 PM_

Imanu doesn't remember the last time he spoke. He's been in a meeting with The Tribal Council since this morning. If he was alone, he would've been obligated to say something. But he's grateful to be with Queen Ororo since she holds the entire room. Besides, Imanu feels like he'll say the wrong thing or worse, a stupid thing, in front of all the Elders of Wakanda's tribes.

He knows that he's here as a part of his training but he would rather be anywhere else (except learning to spar). At least Queen Ororo has a calm ambiance that puts him at ease.

When they get dismissed, Imanu has never been happier. His favourite part of the meeting was all the farewells. _Goodbye!_

"Imanu, my dear, they're taking it easy on you," Ororo tells him once they're alone in the room.

Imanu looks at her confused. He thought they forgot he was in the room. "They are?"

Ororo nods. "You are less of an outsider than I was."

Imanu can't argue with that. He remembers growing up hearing stories about Queen Ororo. She was known as the mysterious wind rider who arguably saved Wakanda by bringing their king home. Imanu never understood why some people still hold resentment towards her after all these years. She has a legacy, a story, a happy ending. He has nothing comparable.

"A good king doesn't matter how much power you have or fear you put towards others," Ororo tells him. "A good king is one with people who will follow him."

* * *

**That control+F method is what everyone in my French class uses for the online quizzes. Use that information to save a life. (I swear, this is another chance of _the things I write come true_ because I was cramming a French quiz before the due date - which was 50 minutes from when I started - and so that control+F for the two textbooks and many slideshows was my saviour).**

**There is also foreshadowing I didn't mean to write. Goddammit.**


	41. Year One: To Next Year

**How am I already at the end of year one? ****_Because all I do is write this story._ (Shut up, past me, the you publishing this chapter is almost done writing year two but is on a break).**

**The first line in the plan for this chapter was: "it's finals season again because I'm lazy." Honestly, that's pretty accurate.**

* * *

Year One: To Next Year

_Academy Courtyard - 17:52 PM_

This final exam season is different than the one before Christmas. Before, they were passing to get into second term. Everyone understood that after winter exams, they had a short holiday before needing to return to school. Now, they still have to work for second year but they get summer break. They get to relax and make plans. They can breathe a little more before coming back to campus.

Instead of cramming for finals, everyone's sitting together and celebrating the end of first year over Chinese food. Even Ashton, Orchid, and Brody are with them. First year wouldn't have been the same without them. Hell, Xavier meeting Ashton let to the double date with Orchid which led to her lust for Brody. Orchid lived down the hall from Angela and Merida. Merida and James shared in weight class B with Ashton and Orchid. Brody was in weight class A with Angela and Xavier.

The universe (or The Academy) has weird ways or stringing events or people together. And it's only been their freshman year. _Who knows who else will join them in year two? The following years?_

Xavier crushes a fortune cookie in his fist. He brushes the crumbs into his empty take-out container. He pulls out the fortune and straightens it.

"'Someone you admire is watching you from afar,'" Xavier reads.

"Aw!" Angela exclaims.

"Creepy," Merida says. She reaches forwards and stabs a piece of Daniel's sesame chicken for herself. He doesn't mind.

"Don't you want Apollo and Britney watching?" James questions rhetorically, twirling his noodles with his chopsticks.

"No," Daniel responds with a small laugh.

"Because you'd prefer Emily to be watching you."

Daniel blushes a little but nods. A part of the reason he picked the earliest day to leave the Academy was because Emily's going to be home from her gap year. She will be in town for the next few months before going back to Italy and they want to spend as much time together before they have to part again.

"Emily who?" Orchid asks. "Emily from the floor above us? She's pretty cute."

"Fiancée Emily," Brody guesses. "So not _that_ Emily."

"Emily Maria Stark," Angela says before realizing what she said. "I mean -"

"Wait, really?" Ashton questions. He looks at Daniel for verification and he sits blankly. "You're engaged to the one I've heard to be Sci-Tech's goddess?"

Daniel lost his mind when Emily's engagement was leaked mostly because of Sci-Tech's explosion. He heard that the other Academies didn't really care. Sometimes, they could ask anyone in Operations or Communications and they wouldn't even know about the news. _And what's the point in _not_ telling them? _The others trust Ashton, Brody, and Orchid so he could as well. It's not like they would tell anyone.

"Yup," Daniel responds, smiling brightly. Angela still mouths an apology.

Orchid's jaw drops more at the idea of Daniel being engaged, Brody claps his shoulder which makes Daniel jump a little, and Ashton puts his food down. Daniel thinks that these are some of the most normal reactions he received. His friends and family freaked out. _Then again, they don't know him well enough to scream to the heavens_.

"Wait, really?" Ashton questions. Daniel nods. "Damn. Good for her."

"I think they're all watching us," Xavier states, referring to the fortune. "Or I'd like to think they are."

"I bet they have better things to do," Merida says.

"Like what?"

"Like watching each other."

-o-

_Wakanda's Palace - 17:58 PM_

Iqadi and Imanu are having an informal night. They're dressed casually and sitting outside in a gazebo close to each other. They have their dinner, some wine, and a beautiful sunset to watch. It's been a while. Their food is cold and the wine is warm, but they're comfortable beside each other. They're not sure how long it's been but they could go all night.

"Can you believe it's almost been a year?" Iqadi questions. "We met and got married last year."

"Huh…" Imanu says. "I'm not sure if it's felt longer or shorter."

"It's been quite the year for us but mostly you. Your entire life changed."

Imanu nods. "It really did."

"Do you regret it?"

He looks at her. "Do you?"

She narrows her eyes with a grin as if she was examining him. "I don't."

"Neither do I." He puts his empty plate down on the table. "I love you."

Iqadi smiles at him. "I love you too."

-o-

_Stark Towers - 18:06 PM_

The elevator doors open and Emily stops in her steps the moment she's out. The doors close behind her but she hasn't moved. Emily looks at her home in wonder. She hasn't been here in a year and nothing's changed, but it feels strange to be here. _Maybe it's because she isn't the same person she was when she left. _This version of Emily has lived abroad in two countries for the past year.

Regardless, she smiles. She has four months at home.

Emily takes off her heels and walks across the cold hardwood floor. She heads into her room, sees her bags being unpacked by some AIs, and sits in front of her vanity. Emily glances at her reflection, not breaking eye contact with herself as she pulls out a makeup wipe. She removes her makeup and takes off her jewelry.

Now she's at home. There's nobody to present herself to or cameras to smile and wave at. It's just her.

Sighing relieved, Emily heads takes a few steps over to her bed and lies across the middle. _Oh, how she missed this bed. _She takes out her phone and counts down the days until her friends come home.

-o-

_Academy Courtyard - 18:16 PM_

_Where the hell did the year go? _When they started, they were figuring out their timetables. Now they're planning their next four months before starting second year. For the most part, all their bags are packed because the moment they finish that last task, they're out of here.

First, before any extra travel plans, everyone was heading home. Families were missed and it was time to relax after the strenuous academic year. Upper years told them that _it gets better _so that's some motivation (unless they were being sarcastic and couldn't wait to watch them suffer, which was more likely).

"Any of you signed up for a work-study?" Brody asks.

Angela nods. "Gotta get that worldwide work experience."

"_Experience_?" Merida questions. "I need money." She looks at Brody. "Did you?"

"They already sent out where everyone's going," Brody says excitedly. Angela and Merida immediately take out their phones to check their school emails. "I'm going to Australia."

Xavier looks at him. "You're from Australia."

"Exactly. It's a chance back home for free with the best surfing waves and they don't have to pay for my room and board since I'll be living at home. SHIELD and I win."

Xavier can't argue with that. He would love a free vacation and work experience but he's heading back home. He misses Brooklyn and his parents. Besides, his old football coach connected him with a sweet and simple job that would look nice on any resumé _as if he had to worry about one_. He glances over at Angela and Merida to see where they'll be heading.

"Triskelion!" Angela exclaims. "Washington D.C., let's go!"

Everyone raises a bottle for her. They know that any upper year would be jealous that a freshie got to go to SHIELD's primary headquarters. _Hell, only the best upper years get the Triskelion. _And they learned from their mandatory SHIELD History class that the Triskelion is arguably the most important SHIELD facility.

"No!" Merida exclaims as she puts her phone down. "I got assigned here at the Academy!"

Without thinking, everyone laughs. Having a work-study position on campus isn't a bad thing. It's a familiar environment and the closest one to home, but when the people next to you get Australia and Washington D.C., it's shitty. Merida groans and Daniel lets her finish the rest of his food in her misery. _At least she could stay in her dorm and not have to bring home a suitcase when she goes back home before her first day._

"Someone please say they'll be here," Merida begs.

"I will," Daniel responds. "Gotta defend my dissertation and I picked the first day without thinking about it."

"Yeah," James adds. "People were wondering why. On the sign-up sheet, Daniel's name is first and then nobody else is until the following week onwards. It's funny."

"I want to go home but I didn't consider the preparation time."

"You're already prepared."

"I'm not."

"I read it. You are." James sighs. "But I'll be on campus too for a bit."

Merida fakes crying. "My day keeps getting worse."

James puts an arm around her and she stabs it with a chopstick. "I have an appointment with my advisor since I didn't finish my dissertation." He looks at all the alarmed faces. "But don't worry, I'm asking for an extension. Hopefully, the _bridging academies_ excuse will work."

"It will," Brody says. "I've heard that a lot of people are looking for extensions. You seem like the only one with a valid excuse."

James puts a hand on his heart as he looks at him. "Thanks for the support."

"Anytime, mate."

"Maybe they're regretting their choices…" Orchid mutters. "My parents think I'm in Communications since they saw it as _the most feminine program _without really knowing what it means. I bet they think they're just secretaries and notaries over there but they're badasses too. I regret not telling them but maybe I can say I transferred." She looks up at the others. "Any of you think you wasted a year of your life?"

Angela shakes her head. "Even if I had a choice, this is what I'd choose."

"Why?" Brody asks.

"Because it's what I'm good at. It's kind of the only thing I'm good at."

Merida glares at her. "Shut the fuck up. You have a plethora of skills."

"Wow," Daniel states. "You used the word _plethora_."

Merida smiles proudly. "And didn't confuse it with placenta."

"But she has a point," Xavier says, referring to what Angela said. "What else do we have going for us?"

"In my family," Ashton starts, "you either got a scholarship to an Ivey school or joined the military. As you can see, I didn't get into Ivey school."

"My brothers got those options," Orchid states. "I got milkmaid or pastor's wife."

James looks at her concerned. "What year did you come from?"

"Fifty years ago, give or take. Still, traditionalism aside, I can't wait to be back on the farm. I miss all those animals and even my siblings and neighbours. I miss my home."

Ashton nods. "Gotta make sure my family's still alive."

"That too."

"Same here," Merida says with a small laugh.

And then they talk about their plans for next year which was still out there. Everyone will be at the Academy but there's the issue with planning classes and being in sync with their different weight classes and rooming. Those plans are still far out there and they have phones to contact each other. _It's not a problem_. As much as they can't wait for next year, they still have to finish their current year and don't want their future vacation time to end. Out of all of life's difficulties to hit them so far, this is the worst.

"Well, then," Xavier says as he gets up. "Good luck on your finals, Ph.D. defences, work studies, being with family for the next four months, whatever. Until next year."

* * *

**Oh, wow. My heart. First year is over. I had fun but I know that the upcoming years will be amazing. I'm excited. When I reread this chapter before publishing, I forgot about the warm friendship feel it had. This is probably the most _uni_ chapter in this story.**

**There will be a few chapters for the intersession/summer period. It will be centred around each member of the main group and their break plans that were highlighted here.**


	42. Intersession: Dr Banner

**Alrighty! I just came from editing the last chapter so let's get started with our intersession period! For those of you who don't know, intersession is a small period before summer vacation (it's technically still summer).**

* * *

Intersession: Dr. Banner

_Science and Technology's Committee Board Room - 9:48 AM_

Daniel's leg is shaking as he waits impatiently. He almost sweats out of his suit jacket as he leans forwards. _God, he hopes he wasn't as fidgety and hot in there, in front of people with his future in their hands. _Hunched over, he removes his glasses and rests his forehead in his hand. His parents told him that this is the most unnerving part of the Ph.D. process and they're right. _Of course, they are. They're the smartest people they know and have been through this a few times._ A piece of work that he's spent endless nights researching and perfecting.

He thinks his defence went well. He laid out all his points, argued against their counters, and delivered arguments to prove his thesis. _The human body can train itself to adapt to foreign bodies up to where it's dependant on substances containing said foreign bodies. _He doesn't remember the clicking moment when that became his thesis. Sometimes, he thinks he based it off himself but those thoughts made him nervous.

Daniel checks the time on his phone. _How long has he been waiting? Has it been an hour? _It felt like that. Maybe they rejected his thesis, found it ridiculous. Maybe they forgot he was waiting out here. _Should he knock?_ _Are they still deliberating?_

The door from the room he was in opens and he almost throws up, but he quickly smiles and stands up. Peeking inside the room, Daniel has flashbacks to where he was moments ago. He was standing at the end of that table in front of the wall that's composed of windows. On each side of the table, members of the board sat straight. They all had a copy of his paper in front of them with annotations in the margins. Each of them had something to say and a debate to spark.

It was the longest and most stressful moment of his life … and now he barely remembers it. This is it. This is the moment where his life could drastically change.

"We're ready to share our results, Dr. Banner."

-o-

_Edison Residence - 11:42 AM_

Daniel closes his dorm's door by leaning against it. Once it clicks shut, he removes the tie from his neck and hangs it on his bedframe. His body is numb, moving as if it's on autopilot. _Walk in, get changed, finish packing, and head home_. But he's not the same person he was when he first left home. He isn't even the same person as when he left the dorm earlier today.

He has a Ph.D. He's Dr. Banner. _Dr. Banner. _That will take some time to get used to.

Life really does change after a year. But, _wow_, he loves it.

-o-

_[18:19 PM]_

_Group Chat - Project: New Generation  
__Members: Daniel, Merida, Britney, Apollo, James, Angela, Xavier, Emily_

_Merida: I heard a little rumour around campus. Someone in this group chat, not James, is a doctor._

_[moments later]_

_Angela: WAIT, REALLY!? DANIEL!_

_Daniel: Yes, it's true. I got it._

_Xavier: Congratulations!_

_James: Told you that you were prepared._

_Emily: Babe, I'm so proud of you._

_Merida: I'm not calling you Dr. Banner. _

_Emily: I will *winking face*_

_Merida: Okay, no. SAVE THAT FOR YOUR BEDROOMS!_

_Xavier: You do know you're technically the first doctor in Sci-Tech's freshman year. You did get the first time slot for the dissertation defence, didn't you?_

_Daniel: … you're right._

-o-

_Days Later - Banner Household - 11:29 AM_

Daniel drives through his neighbourhood and he didn't expect all the construction. Peering over the steering wheel as he slows his driving, he notices that they're replacing the sidewalks. _That's nice_. His only issue with gentrification is that it added another thirty minutes to get to his house since he had to take a detour and obey all the _slow down _signs.

When he finally pulls up to his driveway, Daniel sighs relieved as he turns off the engine. He steps out of his car and the wind hits him differently. _He isn't the same boy who left home last summer._

Daniel opens the trunk to take out his bags, rolling them by his side as he walks up to his house. He isn't sure why but he feels like crying. _He's home now. Why would he be emotional? _He visited on holidays and whenever he needed a weekend away from campus, but it's different to be coming home with everything from his dorm. It isn't until now that he realizes he finished a full year at the Academy.

_Everything's different now._

Daniel's about to knock on the door but stops when he remembers that he has a key. _He's no stranger here._ Daniel opens the door with his key, calling out for his parents when he enters. They come running to greet him as he brings his bag inside.

They smother him with congratulations on his Ph.D. and completing first year. They want to know college stories, how the defence went, his plans for the summer. They want to know everything and he wants the same for them. Daniel wants to know what they've been doing. They're his parents and, although he hasn't needed them as much the older he got; at least he was there. Now, he hasn't been at home.

"So, what's with the construction outside?" Daniel asks firsts as he heads over to the kitchen to grab a bite. It was a long drive.

"It's insane," Bruce says. "They just showed up out of nowhere with nothing except a week's notice, but nobody's complaining since property value increases with neighbourhood improvement."

Daniel slowly nods. _Since when did his parents become real estate experts?_ "Don't tell me you're thinking of moving."

"Never," Betty responds. "So, tell us, what do you have planned for this summer?"

Daniel shrugs. Last summer, he worked on his dissertation. Now that it's completed, what is he going to do now? He has many months of free time to use before going back to school.

-o-

After Daniel settled, Emily came over. She's been here for a few weeks now, waiting for the rest of them to get home from school. She showed up at the door looking different from the paparazzi pictures when she was abroad. In those photos, she made herself presentable (although he would argue that she didn't even _try_ to look that beautiful). Today, she's natural and at his height because she's not wearing heels. He's seen her like this many times but it's different now.

_Everything's different now._

"So, Dr. Banner," Emily starts. A smile grows when she gets to his name.

Daniel blushes a little. Despite being engaged to this girl and knowing her for as long as he could remember, she still gives him a gooey puppy love feeling. It's not been weird seeing her as much this year but being with her again makes it feel as if no time has passed. _Yet neither of them could deny that almost an entire year went by_.

"You don't have to call me that," Daniel responds. "Upper year professors won't even call us that."

Emily laughs a little, wearing a childlike grin. "I'm not your future prof. I'm your future wife or your future Mrs. Dr. Banner. No, wait, future Mrs. Dr. Stark-Banner."

Daniel pauses, thinking that over. "I don't know if it works like that."

"I can make anything work, especially since my dad's getting on my case about becoming a Ph.D. student." She lights up as if remembering something and grabs his arm. "That reminds me. I got you something."

"Emily, you didn't have to get me anything abroad."

"Well, I did but I'm talking about something domestically." She starts leading him out of his house. "Follow me."

They leave his room and head outside. Amid the sound of construction sounds from the neighbourhood, Emily walks into the garage from the side door. Daniel closes the door behind them to block out the noise. He's already wondering why they're here so his guesses on a gift are nonexistent.

"This better not be for my Ph.D.," Daniel says. He's had enough praise about it to last him a lifetime.

"Take it, Dr. Banner," Emily says.

She stops walking and stands to the side, opening her arms to showcase a chunk of sidewalk; an entire and perfectly shaped square unit. It was likely rinsed off but other imperfections like cracks remain. The edges were smoothed out but, other than those fix-ups, it was still a piece of the sidewalk. The best part is that she didn't even try to cover it up with a sheet for a dramatic reveal. It was hidden in plain sight.

Daniel would've never guessed this but he can see Emily bouncing on her toes in excitement. He wants an explanation but she looks like she wants him to try and piece it together.

"You stole a piece of the sidewalk from the construction debris?" Daniel asks.

"I didn't steal it," Emily responds, still feeling perky. "I harvested it."

That didn't answer his question but created more. " … why?"

Emily steps towards the block. "Okay, you might not recognize it but it's from a few feet by your place."

_More questions. _

Emily still smiles. "I even had to do the math but, as always, my calculations were perfect since I remember the day perfectly."

"What day?" He asks.

"The day you proposed."

Daniel stops himself from talking as he thinks back to that moment. _It was almost a year ago_. It was after his graduation which, arguably, he would love to forget. Daniel gave her a ring as a gift. He wanted her to accept it since he didn't want her to miss him as much. Looking back, that was the weirdest way to word his declaration. Daniel handed her the box and that's when she knew it was a proposal.

_God, he was a nervous wreck. How did she ever say yes? _Emily asked questions, making it look like she was the one proposing to him. _Shit, he's still in SHIELD's debt_._ Oh, well._ Then Emily got him to calm down, continued to wonder if this was a proposal. He finally confessed that it was before getting on one knee. _Emily Maria Stark, will you come back one day and marry me?_

"Wow," is all Daniel can say.

Emily nods, smiling as brightly as ever. "Wow, indeed."

Daniel leans over to look at the piece of sidewalk. _Did he really get down on one knee there? _Emily could've picked any square and he would've believed her, but she would never do that.

"So you got the whole construction process started just to get this square," Daniel says. There's no way it happened on its own and Emily _just happened_ to be in town.

Emily grins, nodding. "I signed a cheque and the crew came the next day."

"I love you so much, future Mrs. Dr. Stark-Banner."

"I love you too, present Dr. Banner."

* * *

**Each main character in this story will get their own intersession chapter. **

**That little _Dr. Banner_ snippet at the beginning was inspired by an Instagram post I saw a while back.**

**I will include the proposal chapter below because it's one of my favourite chapters and when I was looking it up to reference, it was the first one to pop up. (Beautiful coincidence, if you ask me.)**

**_Emily's Counterpart_**** \- Chapter 291: The Stark-Banner Proposal**


	43. Intersession: Coach Rogers

**There's no specific order for whose chapter happens when. I thought I would change them around but I'm sticking to the original order I had during planning. **

* * *

Intersession: Coach Rogers

_Hudson Residence - 12:06 PM_

Xavier sits on his empty bed. The sheets have been stripped like the room. The school year is now over so there was no use for their dorm room. His bags are packed and he's waiting for Angela since they're driving home together. _He could've been home two days ago if she didn't have another exam. _

He couldn't believe a year went by. After living here for so long, he couldn't wait to go home. After having an intense school year that was nothing comparable to high school, he couldn't wait to relax.

Xavier looks up from his phone and sees Ashton walk in, sighing out of relief. _As much as Xavier loved Ashton as a roommate, he couldn't wait to get his own room again. _He's positive Ashton feels the same way.

"Oh, good," Ashton says, "you're still here."

Xavier nods. "I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye."

"How sweet." Ashton puts a dramatic hand to his heart. "We'll be roommates again."

"You mean for next year?"

Ashton nods. "Yup. I filled out the online form for the both of us. Merida gave me your student number."

Xavier blinks. _There was so much to ask about those sentences_. "I thought we were paired anyways. Isn't it automatic?"

"You have the option to switch and I'm not getting a different roommate because you're easier to live with than I thought."

"Thanks, man … wait, what?"

Ashton disregards Xavier's question. "Besides, you love having me around."

"Sure, but did you really think I'd be difficult?"

Xavier feels his phone go off in his hand. It must be Angela saying she's already at his dorm's parking lot. He could tell her to wait but she'll get bothered, especially since it's for a petty reason like this. Xavier won't wait until next year to hear about this. He didn't think he was difficult.

"Don't worry about it." Ashton puts a hand on his shoulder. "Just confirm the email when it arrives. Don't keep your sister waiting. See you in a few months, roomie."

-o-

_Rogers House - 16:53 PM_

Xavier drove them home and once they pulled into the driveway, their parents immediately came out of the house to greet them. They even got their bags and brought them inside against their request. _It's their bags, they can handle them._ Once the bags were dropped off in their rooms, they got swarmed with comments and hugs about how much stronger they became. _Thanks to Operations._

Xavier's in the mood to unpack his bags, throw his laundry in the washing machine, and grab some food. He wants time to relax and turn his brain off before catching up. But if his experiences taught him something, it's that they will talk to Angela first. Now, he can't be more grateful for that.

"When are you leaving for Washington?" Steve asks, taking a seat on the couch. He and Peggy occupy one couch and Angela and Xavier sit on the other.

"I have a week," Angela says excitedly.

"Any idea what you'll be doing?"

"No idea. I think administrative work."

"Xavier, what about you?" Peggy asks him.

Xavier looks up. _He thought he had more time before questions came his way. _"I'm coaching soccer here for the whole summer."

He knew about the job for a few weeks but didn't tell his parents until now. For all they knew, he would be doing some work-study like Angela or a summer course on campus. _Why didn't he tell them? Because their faces look surprised? _He guesses it's because he didn't want them to ask why he's choosing to stay home. _Because he knows their assumptions. _Anyone who knows him would know why he wants to stay in town.

"You don't even know how to play soccer," Angela says, giving him a face. "Are you forgetting that you did football in high school?"

Xavier wants to smile at her for helping him out but has to play along with the act. They're both bad liars but, hopefully, their parents will be too thrilled about their return to catch on. _Come on, Sis, we got this_.

"You have a week to pack and I have a week to learn," Xavier responds. "Hell, we could even switch. I'll pack your things and you teach me soccer after you teach yourself."

Angela smiles, about to break character but she composes herself. "That was the campus mindset during exam season. Or the entire year."

Xavier starts laughing. _Screw their act. _They didn't rehearse enough. Three hours in a car didn't give come with a lot of time.

Steve sighs happily. "I didn't miss this bickering."

"Yes, you did." Peggy looks at Xavier. "You'd better have not skipped out on opportunities because you're expecting Apollo and Britney to come back."

_Again, he thought he had more time. _"Am not."

His face heats up. _They'll definitely know he's lying_. Or sort of lying since that's not completely why. If Apollo and Britney just happened to come back during the summer, then he would already be here.

Angela faces Peggy with a plastered smile. "Actually, Mom, being a coach has its benefits. It promotes leadership, conflict resolution, communication, athletic analysis, motivation, encouragement, humility -"

Angela drones on and on for what feels like an entire soccer season. Clearly, she memorized a list of _good coach qualities_ before coming home. It's as if she knew this conversation would be happening. Xavier wonders if she prepared this argument while waiting for him to arrive. _At least she was still helping._

"Alright, _coaching expert_, what's your point?" Peggy asks, crossing her leg and waiting for Angela to respond.

"My point is that he's totally waiting for them."

_He hates her. _"I thought you were on my side."

Angela smiles. "You could've been by my side in Washington."

Xavier glares at her. "Knowing my luck, I would be stuck with you but I would jump out of the plane ride there."

"You know I wouldn't let you."

"We've been twins for twenty years, I've figured it out."

"We've been twins for twenty years, I know you're waiting for Apollo and Britney."

Xavier bites his tongue. _Why did he bother resisting?_

Steve sighs again. "You're right, dear, I missed this bickering."

-o-

_[Weeks Later - 12:17 PM]_

_Group Chat - Project: New Generation  
__Members: Daniel, Merida, Britney, Apollo, James, Angela, Xavier, Emily_

_Xavier: Quick question, who knows how to bandage a sprained ankle?_

_[moments later]_

_Emily: Wasn't there a first aid course for future field agents?_

_Xavier: Not. Helping._

_Angela: It's an elective that we can take during upper years. Maybe Merida has some Girl Scouts knowledge._

_Merida: Not cool._

_Xavier: Seriously. I have a kid crying and the internet is giving me a hundred methods while mothers are glaring at me._

_James: You will be a GREAT team leader. I completely trust you to tend to my broken ankle._

_Xavier: Shut up._

_Merida: I'd leave it broken and break the other one._

_Xavier: Merida!_

_Angela: Merida!_

_Merida: On James, not the kid._

_Angela: MERIDA!_

_Daniel: So you hold the ankle at a 90-degree angle…_

_Emily: Should I give you a protractor?_

-o-

_Brooklyn Bridge Park - 12:24 PM_

Xavier didn't think he would have this much fun being a coach. It thrilled him to see all the little kids in their uniforms being excited to play. They loved hearing his plans and coming up with suggestions. _Hell, even practices were fun._ He didn't think being goalie during practice shots would be enjoyable.

But, damn, he wasn't prepared for some things. Everyone judges everything. The public is always watching him although their kids would be playing on the field. Everyone thinks they're an expert. _Maybe they are since he learned how to play soccer from a video online but he's in the uniform and has the whistle so he's in charge. _They don't know him, his players or what he's trying to achieve.

All he's trying to instill is to have a good time. _And winning would be great as well. _But victory is out of his control. External circumstances are everywhere and can affect his team. _Football was useful after all. _Same skills, different sport.

If kids cried? He barely knew what to do. Now, he's dealing with a kid who sprained his ankle on the field while playing centre back. _And the kid's crying which makes it worse._ Everyone was so focused on the game and he was left with a sobbing child in pain and a first aid kit. Some of his friends were useless but at least Daniel sent instructions.

"Add ice on that when you're done."

Xavier looks up and sees Emily standing beside him. She's dressed casually in her jeans, sneakers, and running shoes. Emily crouches, moving her sunglasses from her face to her forehead to act as a headband.

"What are you doing here?" Xavier asks as he grabs an ice pack. "You got a protractor?"

Emily laughs in a breath. "I am a protractor. I was actually parking my car here when I got the messages."

"When did you get back in town?"

"A while ago. I was just readjusting to this time zone and waiting for the rest of you."

Xavier starts wrapping the ankle. "When are you leaving again?"

Emily gasps dramatically. "I don't see you for almost a year and now you're asking when I'm leaving again. Okay, Xavier, _okay_. I see how it is. Go back to being Coach Rogers and I'll buy your team some victory pizza."

* * *

**Xavier, I understand, I didn't do much during my first summer post-first year uni. I did two months of summer school but nothing exciting. This summer, after my second year, I have lots of plans. (Publishing me is laughing because those plans got cancelled due to quarantine and now I'm doing four months of online summer ****school).**


	44. Intersession: Intern Rogers

**To _Guest DCDGojira_: congrats on your cousin's engagement! Reading that last week made my day!**

* * *

Intersession: Intern Rogers

_Outside of Hudson Residence - 12:42 PM_

Angela's been waiting for over thirty minutes. She'd call Xavier but he waited two days for her exams to finish so they could ride home together. _And she didn't want to drive on the interstate for over an hour. _At least she has her own car key so she could put her bags in the trunk (taking up most of the room) and sit inside while waiting.

She isn't sure how to feel about the year ending. She's glad that she doesn't have to worry about grades and tight schedules. The only downfall is that she won't be home for as long as she thought. Instead, she'll be in Washington for three months doing a work-study at the Triskelion. Angela was surprised that she got a position in the Triskelion as a freshman. When applying, she heard that only the best upper years got a position there. _Maybe her name had something to do with it_ but Merida got stuck at the Academy.

Angela hears the trunk open. Since she didn't lock the door, she turns around and, as expected, sees Xavier throwing his stuff in. She turns back around and smiles when she hears the trunk close followed by the back door opening to put his last bag on the backseat. Seconds later, he's sitting in the driver's seat. They don't even have to talk to have a conversation. _Yes, yes I came here earlier to use more room in the trunk. And I was disadvantaged since I had to walk to your residence to get to our car. But it's really more your car since I don't drive it. _It's one of the perks of having a twin.

"Am I high maintenance?" Xavier asks as he starts the car. "Or do I look like I'm high maintenance?"

Angela puts her phone down. She has more questions than answers upon hearing those. She wonders what took him so long, if they will be making any pit stops on the way home, if anyone's coming with them, and why he's asking those questions. Angela knows it's better to answer his questions than ask any of her own.

"You're so low maintenance that, sometimes, Mom and Dad forget you exist," Angela says.

"Wow," Xavier states. "We haven't even left the parking lot."

Angela smiles to herself. "You're pretty self-sufficient."

"Exactly. You're the high-maintenance one which is why you get all the attention."

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

_A whole car ride of this to come._

-o-

_Somewhere on the Interstate - 13:10 PM_

"So are you and Merida rooming together next year?" Xavier asks her.

Angela glances over at him as if he asked a stupid question. "Yeah. I know Merida would kill me if I wanted to change but I don't. I thought you were automatically paired with your current roommate for next year."

Xavier opens a hand to emphasize his point while keeping the other one on the wheel. "That's what I thought. Apparently, you have to fill out a form saying you want to keep your current roommate."

"Oh…" Angela slowly nods. "So you and Ashton will be roommates again?"

"Yup. Do you think I want to go through awkward icebreakers with someone else? Nah." Xavier switches lanes. "Ashton said he filled out the form for me since Merida gave him my student number."

_That doesn't surprise her. _"I think Merida took care of our form. I'll text her in a bit. She knows all our student numbers. I don't know how but are you surprised? She has the keys to our houses. It's for emergencies."

"She says emergencies."

"But you wanted Ashton as your roommate, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then it was an emergency."

"It wasn't an emergency."

"It so was."

Angela smiles because she's right and Xavier's stopped responding. _Of course, she's right._ She knows her twin. He wouldn't put any effort into making friends, especially since he's waited almost a year for his dearest ones to come back. _She is too. _At least he was lucky to have Ashton as his roommate because they became friends and he introduced him to Orchid and Brody. Now she knows them as well.

It's almost weird to make new friends because they've grown up just knowing the ones they've had. It's exciting to tell new people about herself and hear stories about different lives in return.

"Was not," Xavier continues.

"Was so," Angela adds with some chipper in her voice.

_A whole car ride of this to join them. _

-o-

_A Week Later - Washington Apartment - 9:58 AM_

It didn't hit Angela that an entire year passed until she was on a plane heading for Washington. She couldn't believe. A year ago, she was a cheerleader and a babysitter. _A year ago she was fighting for her life alongside her friends when they were supposed to be graduating. A year ago, she watched her brother cry following Britney and Apollo's departure. _Now she's assigned a summer job at the Triskelion. Life is good.

After she landed, she claimed her bags and took a cab to her SHIELD-provided apartment. On the way, she saw the Triskelion. It's different seeing the building now that she won't be a child running around the hallways with her friends. Still, she wears the innocent wonder with pride.

When she arrives at her apartment, one of her roommates, an upper-year who also has a work-study at the Triskelion, picks her up and brings her to their unit. There, she meets the rest of her roommates and drops her bags off. At that moment, they receive emails about their tasks for the next three months.

"Personal assistant to Chairman Wallace," Sanderson, one of the roommates reads from her phone.

"Student Secretary to the State Department," Marala follows.

"Assistant analyst for the Energy Sector," Chen adds.

"Runner…?" Angela says with confusion. _Did she read that correctly?_

"You run to make copies, answer calls, escort appointments, and, most important, fetch coffee," Sanderson explains. "You're basically running at all times."

Angela blinks, wondering if she heard that correctly. _She should've slowed down in her track classes. _Out of all the tasks, she's a coffee intern. She could be pissed but she's a freshman who got assigned at the Triskelion. _Upper years envied her_. Even her roommates are looking at her as if she just announced she will be Director Fury's right-hand man. They looked jealous of her job which she didn't understand since their tasks sounded cooler.

"You're fetching coffee?" Marala asks rhetorically. "That's golden. In my second year, I was a tour guide."

"That sounds better," Angela says.

Marala scoffs. "Please. You get to run out of the building and down the road. I have to walk at an indoor speed, memorize the building's layout and history, and practice a fake smile and customer service voice."

"Sounds better than scanning files to make them digital," Sanderson adds with an eye roll. "I now have glasses from staring at all those screens."

Chen points right at them. "You three can shut the fuck up. During my third year, I was sent to their daycare service."

The three girls, including Angela, wince at the sound of that role. Angela was a babysitter during high school but even she didn't want to be with a daycare. She loves babies and small children, but _SHIELD spawn?_ No thanks. She's had enough of those and she's one of them.

It didn't occur to her until a week after that she didn't know any of their first names. She was pretty sure the others didn't know hers either. They, including herself, introduced each other by their last names, year, and program. _Rogers. Sanderson. Chen. Marala. _Angela can recall vague memories of being at SHIELD with her parents. Everyone would call each there by their last names as if it was their first. Most times, they didn't even use their titles. Now, that was happening to her. She didn't think the SHIELD lifestyle would hit her this early but it doesn't feel as strange as she thought.

-o-

_Triskelion - 13:45 PM_

Her job wasn't bad. She was always on her feet and doing a task. Fetching coffee was her main role but she only did that the moment she walked in or mid-afternoon. For the rest of the day, she would be escorting appointments or delivering files, whatever a superior agent asked.

Now, she's on her lunch break with her roommates. They all talk about what they've been doing and, again, they're jealous of her job. Angela still doesn't get it. They have jobs with proper titles and a concrete list of responsibilities. Aside from fetching coffee, she walks in and does whatever she's told.

Angela looks away from her food when she feels her phone vibrate in her pocket. Maybe someone finally responded to her.

_Group Chat - Rogers Brigade  
__Members - Peggy, Angela, Steve, Xavier_

_Peggy: Quit complaining. At least you get to move around and see the city and building. I was stapling papers in a corner desk._

_Angela: I wish I had a job coaching something like soccer. Or even a lifeguard. This is boring. I'm taking coffee orders and making copies. _

_Xavier: Coffee is the renaissance of the workforce. Coffee-fetching interns offer companies fresh perspectives with a steaming cup and critical support to boost team productivity. _

_Xavier: You're living the real SHIELD experience - not knowing what's coming but doing correctly. _

Angela pauses, looking away from her screen for a moment. Xavier's messages remind her of the spiel she gave about Xavier being a soccer coach.

_Steve: What brochure did you get that from?_

_Xavier: I told a kid that last part before the game, modified, obviously. _

_Angela: I hate you. _

_Xavier: Bet you wished I was fetching coffees with you. _

_Angela: You're right. You should jump out of the plane._

_Steve: Still don't miss this bickering._

_Peggy: Yes, you do._

_Steve: How do I mute this chat?_

-o-

_Washington Apartment - 22:40 PM_

Her roommates had to stay late at the Triskelion. Apparently, there was some classified meeting that would occur past normal working hours and she got to leave. _Even Marala, the tour guide._ Angela didn't ask questions since she got the apartment to herself. A part of her is happy since she can finally watch whatever she wanted and take up the whole couch. She got comfortable, got a bowl of tortilla chips, and was sprawled on the sofa scrolling through the movies.

Then, there's a knock on the door. Angela groans. _She just got comfy. _She puts her bowl on the coffee table as she straightens the wrinkles on her shirt. Angela walks over to the door and opens it. Her eyes widen when she sees James smiling at her. They've been texting and calling but she didn't think he'd come to visit her.

"Babe, hi!" Angela greets as she reaches forwards to hug him.

James wraps his arms around her as she leads them inside and closes the door behind him. Immediately, she cups his head and starts to kiss him. _She's missed him so much_. He presses her against the wall, holding his hands on her hips.

He quickly parts. "Are your roommates home?"

"Nope," Angela responds, starting to grin. "Why?"

"I have something I want to test out with you."

Intrigued, Angela follows James as he walks through the apartment. He looks around, impressed by the place and finds the kitchen. James clears the counter and pulls something out of his pocket. Angela watches the two small objects. At the snap of his fingers, they grow bigger and Angela's eyebrows wrinkle. James waits for her amazement but she isn't sure what's supposed to wow her. _It looks like a busted machine_. James looks back and starts connecting the pieces. Once it's put together, Angela's mouth forms a circle as she gets a closer look.

"You got a cotton candy machine?" Angela asks.

James nods. "I got _you_ a cotton candy machine. You're a sweet tooth but I've never seen you work one. Don't worry about bringing it home, I'll drop it off back at your place when I head back. For now, I got this."

Angela nods her hands excitedly as James plugs the machine in and turns it on. _How has she never gotten herself one of these before?_ Once a whirring noise starts, James takes a shrunken package of sugar out of his pocket and grows it back to a normal size. He tears it open and small pink granules fall out as he pours it inside the tube. James puts the bag on the counter as they hear the sugar crunching. They stand close, waiting. Both of their bodies radiate energy the other can sense. _This is true excitement. _

They gasp when little puffs of sugar start to form and fly out as wisps. Angela catches one with her hands and James happily watches as her face lights up with enjoyment despite them just starting.

"Alright, now we're talking," Angela says. "Where are the paper cones?"

James's face drops. " … shit."

Angela smiles. _She isn't surprised at all. _"I'm sure I can find a replacement somewhere around here."

"No, I have an idea."

Angela looks away for one second. When she turns back, she sees James with his sleeves rolled up and his arms in the machine. _She should've seen that coming as well._

"James!" Angela screams concerned.

"Relax, it's fine," James responds.

They look inside and see cotton candy forming around his arms as if they were paper cones. Once they were big enough, James pulls them out and Angela is amazed. _She thought he would've gotten amputated. _James laughs at the success of that move. _He too likely thought he would lose his arms. _He holds them up like muscles for a second as Angela snaps a photo. When she lowers her phone, she laughs wholeheartedly as he holds an arm out. He gestures for her to bite some cotton candy as he does the same to his other arm.

* * *

** That last part ended up starting off as an innuendo and I'm not mad about it.**

**Angela's chapter is the kind of productivity I wanted during my post-first year but that did not happen. Almost got it second year but then the pandemic came and fucked over my plans.**


	45. Intersession: Cadet Barton

**I have started revamping the current chapters of _PNG_ and I'm having so much fun with it...and I'm updating _PNG_ tomorrow with a new chapter!**

* * *

Intersession: Cadet Barton

_Demo Weapons Storage - SHIELD Academy - 12:01 PM_

Merida got stuck with a work-study at The Academy. _Lucky Angela got to go to Washington. Lucky Brody got to go to Australia. _She would often hang with other students confined at the Academy for a variety of reasons: some are doing work-studies like her (all envious of everyone who got cooler locations like _Angela _and _Brody_), alumni stopping by for their own reasons, finishing their dissertations or doing a summer course. Merida heard that a lot of kids got to go abroad and she's even more peeved that she's stuck here. _What did she ever do to deserve this?_

During her free time, she tried to get into Weight Class A for next year with a series of placement tests. She wasn't the only one there and not the only one who failed. _Comforting_. Merida didn't know how but bit her tongue when she wanted to argue back. She has a feeling that she actually passed but got told she failed, but who is she to argue? Next year, she'll still be in Weight Class B again. _Lucky James gets to enjoy her company next year. _

At least her work-study has more interesting assignments than Angela. She wasn't fetching coffee, escorting people or transferring calls; she got to help organize the demo weapons as one of her responsibilities. It wasn't as cool as she thought it'd be. The demos were nothing like the real things, obviously, but this is an amazing opportunity. Freshies like her didn't even get to touch the demos.

Maybe a position in the Academy wasn't that bad since the worst part is dealing with the agents in charge of cadets like her.

"And once you're finished here, you can head on over to the library to help return material back on the shelves."

Merida fake smiles. "Yes, sir."

She said so passive-aggressively that she meant _yes, idiot_. If she was his coffee-fetching intern, she'd spit in his drink.

The only benefit of being in the library is that there are so many hiding places and she can climb ladders. She didn't go there much during the year since she preferred being in the quiet isolation of her dorm, but maybe she'll reconsider for next year. But not in Operations' library because it's crap. She heard that Communications' library had a café.

-o-

_Days Later - Off to the Sea Spa - 18:33 PM_

On any other day, Merida would've scowled and rejected James's presence. Now, she's only scowling. She would never admit this out loud but she's glad that James is still on campus because it means she has a friend she can see in person. _Yes, James is her friend_, she sometimes has to remind herself because it's James.

"Wow, you must be lonely to do this with me," James says.

Merida glares at him. "You were stupid enough to book an appointment when your girlfriend's out of the state."

"Maybe I booked this for us."

"Fuck off."

"You fuck off first."

"I hope you drown in that mud bath."

_James is her friend. James is her friend. James is her friend. _

She looks away from him and continues relaxing in her mud bath. James is in a tub next to her. He bought passes in advance for a spa couples spa day with Angela. He got them so long ago that when the day came, she was in Washington and he forgot. To avoid wasting the passes, Merida accompanied him. At first, she wanted to refuse because it was James but this is the best spa in all of New Jersey with high quality complimentary champagne and crunchy cucumbers. And it's a moment away from school. _This is great._ She has a warm towel wrapped around her head and everything.

It was a day of relaxation, ironically, with the one person who irritates her the most. It's an odd balance.

"I didn't think she would take a work-study," James explains. "Or that it would be far away. I thought it would be here."

"She's Angela Rogers. Of course she'd go to the Triskelion."

"And Merida Barton gets stuck in that hell."

"Precisely. Keep the demons at bay." She smiles a little. "Why are you still here? Didn't your exams end a week ago?"

"Academic advising appointment," James responds.

"Shit…" Merida mutters. "Anything bad?"

James shakes his head. _This isn't even a time where Merida would wish something bad happened to him_. "Just planning ahead for next year."

"You mean give an excuse for your lack of an express doctorate so you could be here next year."

"Pretty much." He glances at her. "I thought you'd be cheering at the chance of me leaving."

"Hasn't happened yet."

Merida laughs when James grabs a fistful of cucumbers and throws them at her. She launches the rest of her champagne at him. They stare at each other with full smiles as they go back to relaxing in their mud baths.

-o-

_[20:59 PM]_

_Group Chat - Xavier's Besties  
__Members: Merida, Brody, Ashton, Orchid_

_Merida: Who started this chat and why does it exist?_

_Orchid: I did and it's something we all need._

_[moments later]_

_Orchid: So, what's up?_

_Ashton: I'm reading all your messages with your accent._

_Ashton: This is like Weight Class B but swap James for Brody._

_Merida: As it should be._

_Merida: Also, what's with the name of this chat?_

_Ashton: Where is Brody?_

_Orchid: This name is the epitome of who we are as people._

_Merida: I hate it._

_Orchid: Then join Weight Class A with Brody._

_Ashton: What time is it in Australia now, maybe he's asleep._

_Merida: I did the placement test with some other people to try and get into Weight Class A but failed._

_Orchid: HOW DARE YOU TRY AND ABANDON US WITHOUT WARNING US?!_

_Merida: YOU JUST TOLD ME TO JOIN IT!_

_Brody: Lassie, you're lucky to not be in Weight Class A._

_Ashton: There's Brody!_

_Merida: Why?_

_Orchid: Because B for Barton._

_Brody: I love the Rogers twins, believe me, but it's hard to be in a physical class with them. They're the best of the best. Our profs question if they're even qualified to mark them. Spoiler alert, they're not. Our entire class is in a shadow the twins don't even know they're casting and they don't notice because they're so humble but oblivious. Especially Xavier on that last part._

_Orchid: B for Brody._

_Brody: In all honestly, I'm scared for third year when we have to spar each other. Angela and Xavier would kill me._

_[chat goes quiet for a moment]_

_Orchid: B for Bless Xavier._

_Ashton: Dude you live with tarantulas and wombats and a lot of other scary animals roaming the streets...and you're scared of Angela and Xavier?_

_Brody: I'd rather wrestle a kangaroo than Angela. I could probably take on Xavier._

_Merida: Oh, I would love to see that. I should've gone into Weight Class A._

_Orchid: B for Buchanan, Xavier's middle name._

_Merida: Why do you know that?_

_Orchid: Because we're besties._

_Orchid: B for Besties._

_[Merida sends a photo of Xavier as a child for the others to fawn over]_

_Brody: There's our lord and saviour._

-o-

_A Month Later - Manhattan Suburbs - 9:12 AM_

A month into her work-study and she finally gets a to go home for Memorial Day weekend. Since the Academy will be closed the following Monday, she gets to go home. The drive back was the time of her life since she could finally get a break from that dreaded school. Merida had to weave down some different neighbourhood roads because of construction but she's in such a good mood that it doesn't bother her.

Looking ahead, Merida sees Apollo and Britney's old house. _But what's there?_ The sale sign is gone and now there's a moving truck in the driveway. Boxes are being unloaded as small children ride their bikes up and down the driveway.

Merida pulls over to the side of the road across the street. She peers over and turns off her engine to stare. The situation across the street will be too busy to notice her. _No, that's not right. Nobody but Apollo's family should live there._ It's only been a year. It would've been better if they moved in at any point when she wasn't driving by.

Something in the corner of her eye catches her attention. She turns and sees Daniel on the sidewalk. He hasn't seen her yet but she watches him stop just nearby Apollo's house. He wears the same expression of _no, this shouldn't be happening. What is this? _When he sees Merida's car, she unlocks the door as he walks over. The two of them stare at each other for a moment, unsure how to start a conversation about that sight.

"My neighbours said someone was moving in here and I just had to see it for myself." Daniel turns and looks over at the house again. "I still don't believe it."

"I don't like it," Merida says, peeking over Daniel's shoulder.

"Neither do I. This was _our_ zip code."

"The Suburban Manhattan Squad."

"I miss that group chat."

"I'm now a part of one where we worship Xavier."

Daniel faces her. "What?"

"It's only been a year and _everything's_ getting weirder." She isn't bringing up having a spa day with James but, given James's chatting abilities, everyone already knows. _The weirdest part was that she enjoyed that day._

"How was your work-study?"

Merida starts the engine. She doesn't want to be here anymore. "Fine."

-o-

After dropping Daniel off back at his house, Merida finally makes it back to her place. She parks in the driveway and leaves her bag in the car because she sees her parents waiting for her on the front porch. When she steps out of the car, her parents stand up. Merida pauses and her heart swells as a smile appears on her face.

She doesn't hesitate to run up those steps and hug them tightly. If there was one thing that hasn't changed in a year, it's her parents.

* * *

**For the iconic trilogy of Merida, Daniel, Apollo, and Britney, I have included the chapters below. They were new for the revamps and I had so much fun with them.**

**_Britney's Counterparts_**** \- Chapters 272-274: The Suburban Manhattan Squad Parts One-Three**


	46. Intersession: PhD Candidate Pym

**I thought this chapter came out last week.**

* * *

Intersession: Ph.D. Candidate Pym

_Science and Technology's Academic Advising Wing - 14:44 PM_

James could've gone home days ago. He finished his exams and won't present a dissertation he doesn't have, but the latter is one of the reasons why he's still on campus. When the Academy saw that he didn't sign up for a presentation, they emailed him. It was either a reminder or to book an appointment with academic advising to explain his situation. The earliest appointment with an advisor was a few days after his last exam so he had no choice. He could've gone home for those days but didn't want to drive there only to come back.

That's why he's sitting on a hard couch in the middle of an administrative hallway. He sees other students sitting spaced out, faces glued to their phones and headphones in their ears. James wonders why they're here. This wing is specifically for Sci-Tech students, which he claimed as his home program since that's where he's living in residence. _Maybe they're about to give an excuse for not having a Ph.D. like him _or they're being responsible and doing a degree check.

"James Pym."

His head perks at the sound of his name but he isn't sure which door it came from. As he looks around, every other student points. James mutters a thanks as he walks over. _How did they know when they can't see or hear?_

James walks into the office and closes the door behind him. He takes a seat and his advisor looks at him with an expectant smile. _Oh, she knows why he's here_ and he's smiling nervously.

"Hi," James greets, clearing his throat.

"Hi," his advisor, Agent Saunders, responds. She looks strict so James starts mentally planning his plea and appeal if the first plan fails. "So, James, let's cut the fluff and get to the point. You know that you need your express Ph.D. to continue onto second year."

"I know."

"So, where is it?"

"In the works." _Lie. _"It's just that I've been extremely stressed and preoccupied with my Operations' classes." _Lie._ "You know them with all the running and lifting. It's tiring and straining and I had to get an aviation license." _Not a lie. _

Agent Saunders nods. "I'm aware. I've been in your position before."

"You've bridged two programs?"

"Yes." She laughs a little, sitting back in her seat. Agent Saunders sighs nostalgically. "But Communications and Sci-Tech, which is the most common combination. I must admit that when I read your student profile, I had to double-check. It's remarkable that you're surviving in the 98th percentile for both programs."

_98th? _That's impressive for not going or sleeping in a lot of his classes. If James was anywhere else, he would be screaming for joy. If he did that now, he would be asked to leave campus and not come back next year. The thing about James is that people underestimate him. Aside from that being based on how he presents himself, he has the energy of a well-mannered toddler. He's always on his toes, doing only the things he wants, and should be supervised. But then he comes out in the 98th percentile in both of his programs. The problem with him is that he isn't serious enough to realize that he's an expert in a dozen different fields.

He had loads of time to finish a dissertation. Hell, with his amazing charisma and charm, he would've gotten the degree at a record time.

"I'll tell you what we'll do," Agent Saunders says, typing on her keyboard. "I will give you special permission to continue only because of your remarkable transcript."

James smiles gratefully. "Thank you, Agent Saunders."

"But for the record, I'll need to note your field of research." She eyes him, waiting for a response.

James stares at her deadpanned. He didn't have an idea let alone a field of research. But he has to have something since he said his dissertation was _in the works_. It's not like he has a lot of time to think. The first thing that comes to mind is his dad. _Oh, his father will be disappointed in him._

"Quantum entanglement," James responds with fake confidence that sounds believable enough.

Agent Saunders raises a brow. She must know that quantum entanglement is a tricky field to explore since it theoretically can't stay put. Maybe she's reasoning that the difficulty combined with his bridging is why he's here today. _Wow. Bless his dad's life work. _Maybe his dad will be proud of him now.

"How much quantum entanglement do you know?" Agent Saunders asks.

"Enough to survive a conversation with my dad," James responds. "I think he invented it."

She stops typing at that bizarre part. She doesn't question it and James doesn't correct himself because he genuinely believes his father invented it. _If someone told him differently, he'll declare his entire life a lie. _James can think back to his bedtime stories where his dad would read him his journal articles about spooky physics. And the stories always worked since James was asleep by the abstract. _Worked on his mom as well._ But, sure, he could do his dissertation on quantum entanglement if he ever gets around to actually working on it.

"James, you'll also need a language credit to graduate," Agent Saunders says.

"Does talking to ants count?" James asks.

She doesn't question it but shakes her head.

"Okay, it's with an EMP but only I can understand it," James attempts to argue. "I won the genetic lottery that way by understanding the frequencies, I guess. Again, I think my dad invented that."

"The EMP or the genetic lottery?" She smiles.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it's both."

"So, your language credit…?"

"Maybe Spanish. I already know enough Spanish to absolutely bullshit random sentences."

-o-

_The Next Day - Pym Penthouse - 10:17 AM_

James decided to go home the next day since he had a spa day with Merida since she was around and Angela was in Washington. Contrary to whatever Merida might say, they both had a great time (maybe he did more than her). They got back to campus late and he didn't want to make the drive. Also, he didn't pack so he did that, shrank his bags, and fell asleep. He was surprised that he woke up early. _It must be because he was excited to leave_.

When he arrived home, his parents were just waking up. They thought they were hallucinating because _no way James would come home before noon. He wakes up at noon. _It took James five minutes for his parents to process that he was really there and his mother exploded in a scream before hugging him tightly. James looked at his father for help when he could no longer breathe so Hank had to pry her off before he could hug him. _Softer_.

"Come in, come in," Janet says, scurrying over to the kitchen and making her boys follow. "Sit down and I'll get you something to eat."

"We heard that Daniel got his Ph.D.," Hank says excitedly as they walk into the kitchen. As Janet prepares some espresso, they sit down at the kitchen island. "How about you?"

James smiles meekly. "I got an extension."

Hank nods. James knows he isn't mad because he saw that coming. If he really got his Ph.D., he would've called them and they would've cried on the phone. He isn't ashamed of not having one but he had to say it to his father's face. _Family humiliation at its finest._

"I owe Fury money that I'm taking out of your inheritance," Hank tells James, "but at least you passed the comprehensive exam."

James starts eating a piece of French toast his mother just handed him. "Actually, I aced it."

Hank has a double-take as Janet turns away from the stove (which she really shouldn't leave unattended). James continues eating, pretending not to thrive from their surprised faces. He said that so casually that he has to play that part. They're more shocked about that since _Daniel_ didn't even ace it.

Hank puts a hand on James's shoulder and clears his throat. " … I'm half proud of you."

James nods to himself proudly. He'll take that win since his father also didn't ace it.

"Hank!" Janet exclaims, turning back to the stove before the penthouse burns down.

"What?" Hank questions. "It's insane that they expect high school graduates to come up with a full dissertation in order to continue. It's supposed to take years of research, field explorations, graduate classes, debates with colleagues - not two semesters on Adderall!"

Janet turns around, dropping the spatula on the ground. She somehow looked angry, concerned, and worried all at once. "James, you didn't take Adderall, did you?!"

"No, not at all," James responds, calming her down. He looks at Hank. "And, Dad, feel free to complain about The Academy. Oh wait, you already have."

Hank glares at him.

"Hank, our son just came home and _that's_ what you have to say?" Janet questions rhetorically.

Hank opens his arms to prove a point. "What else is there to say? I know what he was doing - partying, only going to class when he had to, sleeping, and Angela was there too."

James almost chokes on his food. _His father must be onto him._

Janet turns away from the stove and frowns at her husband. "Hank!"

"What?" Hank asks. "I went to college and I told you at the start not to expect much from him. I kept my expectations low so I could be proud."

"You were only half proud."

Hank sighs, looking at James who's grinning. _He knows his son so well_. "I'm three-quarters proud of you."

"That's all I need," James responds.

"Why not the full hundred?" Janet asks.

"Because I know he hasn't even started his dissertation," Hank replies.

James nods. "He's right but if the school asks, it's _in the works_."

-o-

_[11:31 AM]_

_Emily: What are you doing today?_

_James: I had no plans so my mom dragged me to go shopping with her._

_Emily: Or you had no plans so you decided to drag yourself to go shopping with your mom._

_[no response for a moment]_

_James: Way to attack me like that._

_Emily: I would never do that to a Momma's Boy._

-o-

_Weeks Later - Washington Apartment - 11:46 AM_

James wakes up hugging a pillow. He takes a few minutes to adjust because he has no idea where he is. _The pillows smell like lavender. He might be jet-lagged. He's having weird memories of sugar that he could've sworn he dreamt. And there's his girlfriend getting dressed by the closet. _Now he remembers. James yawns as he sits up in Angela's bed. Since he had nothing to do back in New York and missed his girlfriend, he decided to pay her a surprise visit while she was doing her work-study.

It feels better to be with her like this. He missed spending an entire year with her only to have her leave for the summer. _There's only so much you could do over the phone_.

"Hey," Angela says as she finishes putting on her shirt. "I have to be at the Triskelion in about ten minutes. You could visit me during my lunch break, pick me up after my shift, or both."

"I'll see," James replies, stretching his arms above his head. He rests the pillow on his lap. "I might just go back to sleep and catch you later."

Angela nods as she fastens her badge onto her chest. "Sounds good, but if you decide to remain awake, then what are you going to do all day?"

James thinks for a moment before shrugging.

* * *

** If I'm being honest, out of all the intersession chapters, James resembles my summer post-first year the most. I didn't do anything commendable. A part of me believed that I wasted the four months I got. I stayed on campus for summer school and at home to write and revamp my fanfics. I also got special permission for courses (that I deserved). (Publishing me here. I ended up revamping _PNG_ and will revamp another story at the end of the summer so those are my plans).**


	47. Intersession: The Battle of New York

**I thought of this idea and wondered why I never did it in Emily's story. But then I did the math and realized it works so much better here. You'll see why in a moment.**

* * *

Intersession: The Battle of New York

_Nine Years Ago - Asgard_

As the young Prince of Asgard, Apollo could run around the palace without restraints. As a child of the state who lives in the palace, Freya could run around the palace without restraints. As best friends, Apollo and Freya could run around the palace _together_ without restraints._ Nobody's going to stop them because they'll be too fast._ Besides, it was more fun to have the company. And if they got busted, they just had to outrun the other person (but people always knew they were a duo if he was around). It's what they normally did during their free time when responsibilities weren't lurking above them.

What's currently above them is Yggdrasil, the enormous tree in the centre of the palace that grows beyond the ceiling, and they're looking as high as they could. Its branches almost make up the entire ceiling where sunlight peeks through the small holes within the evergreen ashy leaves. This mighty tree is a representation of the Nine Realms, connecting them with its roots and branches. It's nourishing, protecting, guiding.

It's also what Apollo and Freya were in the midst of climbing although they weren't allowed to.

Once they reach the top, near the edge of the canopy and one of Asgard's branches, Apollo and Freya pause. They take a seat on a nearby branch, swinging their legs and looking below. They can't believe they managed to get this high without anyone noticing.

"You know," Apollo starts, leaning in closer to Freya, "every major branch represents a realm."

Freya nods. "I know. You said that before we started climbing and while we were climbing. I also knew that prior because you've told me before and it was a lesson in the Learning Hall."

Apollo backs away, eyebrows wrinkling at the centre. "I thought you weren't listening."

"No, _you_ weren't listening when I told you at the bottom that you already told me that many times."

"When did I say that before?"

"Whenever you suggested climbing here."

Before Apollo could refute, they hear a cracking noise. Both holding their breaths, they try to look around to see where that came from without making any sudden moves. When they meet eyes, their nine-year-old selves have been through a lot to know what's happening despite not directly seeing it. _They're warriors-in-training. They can sense these types of things and act on it before it acts on them_. The moment they meet eyes, they're about to pounce for the branch in front of them but the one they're sitting on breaks earlier than expected. _They're still training, not experts yet. _They should've known that a branch needs excessive weight to crack.

Apollo and Freya scream as they start falling through the greenery. Leaves whip against their skin as branches scratch and slice, more breaking as they fall through.

Finally, Freya lands on a branch. Before she has time to secure herself, she reaches out and grabs Apollo's hand. When she has him grasped, she rolls and falls over but manages to grip the branch she landed on. Once they stop swinging, Freya breathes heavily to catch her breath. She glances at the branch holding the two of them before looking down at Apollo. Her hair drapes over the side of her face as Apollo grins back up which annoys her until she starts smiling.

"That was fun," Apollo says.

Freya nods. "Do you think this branch will hold?"

"Of course. That's Midgard's branch."

-o-

_Present Day - SHIELD Headquarters, New York - 12:12 PM_

Twenty years ago, today was just a normal day. People went to school and work. They commuted and walked their dog. They stopped by cafés and scrolled on their phones. It was just like any other day until a wormhole opened in the sky and aliens poured out into New York City, right above Stark Towers. Heroes, who only met hours prior, fought as a team against a mad god and an alien army. From that day forward, after they won, The Avengers were formed.

Today marks the twentieth anniversary since The Battle of New York. Schools and businesses were closed since today became a holiday to commemorate the day the world almost ended. SHIELD, as they did every anniversary, threw a small celebration in their headquarters. Most of the present Avengers and their kids attended, dressed casually yet formally as they chatted about that day and how times have drastically changed. This year is different because Thor, Jane, Apollo, and Britney are absent. At least, they are for now. Everyone wants to believe they're coming later.

"So, they live in New York and they go to school in New Jersey," Imanu says to his wife. They stand close to the side of the room, speaking to each other in their dialect. The room is so busy that they could've spoken English and nobody would hear them.

"Yes," Iqadi responds.

"Why do a lot of Western places have _new_ in the name?"

Iqadi shrugs. "I'd guess for _new world_ but it's not that new. Those names didn't age well. New York was once called New Amsterdam."

Imanu groans which makes Iqadi smile. "Oh god..."

They laugh amongst themselves, keeping only smiles on their face as they approach their friends. Everyone got a day off from their jobs, everyone was back in town; it's a mostly complete reunion. Everyone's almost back where it all started.

"My dad used to have nightmares after New York," Emily says softly. Her voice shakes as she talks and Daniel holds her hand. "They faded as I grew up but it really took a toll on him."

"I'd say it gave our dad a sense of purpose in the new age." Xavier looks at Angela and she nods in agreement. "You know, after he thought he lost everything."

"Who knows if my parents would even be together," Merida says.

"Same," Daniel adds.

"Imagine if my parents were there," James suggests.

Iqadi smiles. "Or mine."

"We would've probably won faster," Daniel says.

"By frying Loki's ass up that portal," Merida adds.

"Or," Angela starts, a grin growing, "there would be more alpha personalities and nobody would've gotten anything done."

"So they shoot each other's asses up the portal," Emily concludes. "I'd toast to that."

They glance at Emily's dad who has his arm linked with her mom's. They're having a lively conversation with some of the other Avengers. The group can't help but think about how if The Battle of New York never happened or if one variable was different, none of them would be here today. Project: New Generation would cease to exist. They would've never been born which means that they wouldn't be friends. It's weird to imagine not living let alone not living with each other. _Hell, it's odd to acknowledge that Apollo and Britney aren't here._

"They said to give them a year," Angela reminds them. "Technically, they still have a few months."

"But it's weird for them not to come back _today_, isn't it?" James asks.

Angela shrugs. "Maybe time passes differently in Asgard."

"It does in New Jersey," Merida grumbles.

The Academy kids can't argue that. When the year started, it felt like it would never end. The same routined day went on and on and, before they knew it, it was exam season and the first semester ended. Then it was a term of getting licenses and degrees for the future years. _All in a year._ It's crazy to think all that time went by when it did.

"Do you remember what we did on the tenth anniversary?" Emily asks excitedly. "When we all decided to reenact New York based on news footage and stories?"

"You mean when Angela and I argued to be Captain America?" Xavier questions rhetorically.

"I let you win," Angela says.

"No, you didn't."

"I didn't want to be Loki so I opted for Natasha."

James narrows his eyes at them. "You made me be Loki."

"I didn't want you to be either of my parents," Merida says, still cringing at that idea as she did nine years ago.

"And we just wanted to beat you up," Xavier adds.

"Haha," James laughs with a scowl, "I think Apollo threw me so far that I forgot that whole day."

-o-

As the party starts to clear, Iqadi excuses herself from the girls and walks across the room. She smiles excitedly at the sight of Imanu talking with her parents and keeps that expression as she approaches the boys. Instead of reciprocating, they look at her with caution.

"Why are you making that face?" Xavier asks.

Iqadi's expression shifts to neutral. "What face?"

"That _I have an exciting idea_ face."

Her smile returns. "Because I have an exciting idea."

"Which is…?" Daniel asks. He just wants to rip this bandage off before it hurts.

Iqadi glances back at her husband. "Imanu's had a long and hard year adjusting to the responsibilities of Wakanda's prince consort so I think he should take a small break and have some fun."

"With us," Daniel stares for clarification.

"With all of you."

"What do you suggest we do?" Xavier asks. "What does he like?"

Iqadi opens her mouth to respond but stops herself when she hears James already cheering.

"Who cares?!" James exclaims. "Let's just do anything and I'll make it fun."

* * *

**Get ready for the next two chapters. They're the perfect way to end the intersession period and go straight to year two.**


	48. Intersession: Guys Night II Part One

**Thank you for loving Imanu being one with the boys. It gets even better when (possible spoilers) Apollo returns and (possible spoilers again) Blake joins them.**

* * *

Intersession: Guys' Night II Part One

_SHIELD Headquarters, New York - 19:21 PM_

After the guys agreed to have a guys' night with Imanu, Iqadi pulled her husband away from her parents to tell him the news. When she finished, she expected him to be thrilled at a night out but he looks petrified. _At least they were speaking in their dialect so nobody but her parents would understand._ Iqadi takes a step closer to shorten the gap between them so they wouldn't have to talk too loud.

"You planned this?" Imanu asks.

"I planned you going," Iqadi responds. "I don't know what they have planned."

"That's not comforting."

Iqadi rubs his arm. "You're doing this to relax. Besides, they've had long years as well."

"Then why do I feel scared?"

"You're overreacting."

Before Imanu could argue, they stop talking when Xavier, Daniel, and James start making their way over. But they stop when Daniel and Xavier turn to give James matching disapproving faces.

"No," Daniel tells James, "you can't get fireworks."

"Why not?" James asks. _Funny how he needs permission to get fireworks._

"Because we said so," Xavier adds. _Funny how that will stop him._

"You guys are no fun," James whines. "Apollo would've let me get them."

"No, he wouldn't."

Daniel faces Xavier. "Actually, he would."

Xavier glares at him. "_No, he wouldn't._"

"He'd want to know how they'd fly if James lit them with his bioelectricity."

_"Now you're giving James ideas."_

Iqadi pauses, unsure if she should cut into their conversation or not. _Saying that Apollo would let James have fireworks isn't the best thing to say, especially with the power incentive_. As those boys continue bickering and James begs (now wanting to try out Apollo's hypothetical idea), Iqadi faces Imanu and gives him a plastered smile while his unamused face proves that this is too dangerous for him.

"But our anniversary is soon," Imanu mutters in their dialect. _As if the other boys could hear them over their conversation_. "It's our first and that's an important one."

Iqadi scoffs, rolling her eyes. "That's months away. This will only be one night. You'll be back in plenty of time."

"I wouldn't count on that."

"Have fun." She smiles and kisses him on the cheek. Iqadi walks towards the other boys and that alone gets their undivided attention. "You'd better take care of him. Our first anniversary in in a few months and that's an important one."

As Iqadi leaves them, Imanu watches her go. He mentally begs for her to come back and save him, not even feeling petty that she used his words against him. Imanu has nothing against her friends. They're cool guys and great to hang out with. _And he could use more guy friends with some time to be informal. _He's just scared of the seemingly inevitable chaos and the possibility of James controlling fireworks with his bioelectricity.

"Don't worry," Xavier says, clapping Imanu's shoulder. He jumps a little at the unexpected contact. "You'll go home in one piece."

"Don't tell him that," Daniel whispers although Imanu heard that, "James still wants fireworks."

Xavier shushes him and Daniel groans in frustration.

"We don't have Apollo as a shield for when the fireworks go wild," Daniel angrily whispers to Xavier.

"James isn't getting fireworks," Xavier responds the same way. "I have an idea." Xavier looks past them and sees James on his phone, probably looking for fireworks. "Hey, James! If you think about it, this could be the bachelor party Imanu never got."

James looks up from his phone, turning to face them as he puts his phone back in his jacket pocket. Imanu smiles nervously as he nods to support Xavier's plan. _Was it too late to catch the flight back to Wakanda?_ But Iqadi had a bachelorette party and it was … _maybe he can run for the jet._

"A bachelor party is the ultimate guys' night," James states.

-o-

_Coney Island - 21:59 PM_

A guys' night out is only limited by the imagination since every boy is different, especially Imanu, Xavier, Daniel, and James. No group of guys could be more different, except if Apollo was present. Whatever the case, a typical guys' night and bachelor party is the perfect time to reconnect and unwind with their friends. Imanu's been in Wakanda the whole time and the other three were on their separate paths since their school year ended.

Since it's a holiday, Coney Island got extended hours and additional gimmicks. Rides, food, games, and prizes were Avenger themed. _Some were more disturbing than others_ but it's a time for celebration. Not only is it the twentieth anniversary of The Battle of New York but it now doubles as Imanu's bachelor party.

And Imanu was beyond fascinated with Coney Island. Everything from the people having the time of their lives to the attractions to the bright lights to the smell of fried dough. He resembled an innocent child seeing the world for the first time and, in a way, he was. Their night barely started and he was already having fun.

"Do you deep-fry everything?" Imanu asks.

Xavier doesn't hesitate. "Yes. Anything you like?"

"They all look the same."

"Trust me," Daniel says cautiously. "They're not."

As a group, they got chicken-fried hot dogs with all the fixings. Imanu didn't have to ask because none of the other guys knew what it meant for something to be _chicken-fried_. The hot dog alone is questionable but, _fuck it_, it's a bachelor party at Coney Island. (But Xavier finished Daniel's and Imanu's since he could handle it better.)

"How about we address the elephant in the room?" James suggests, tossing his crumpled wrapper into the trash and sinking it.

Imanu sighs. "After this learning curve for the past year, this wasn't what I expected. I knew there were a lot of rules but -"

"No, the actual elephant." James points ahead and a real elephant is walking within a confined circle. He walks over with fascination, taking pictures and videos to send to Angela. _She'll love it_. "It looks like a Kirby."

Xavier points his camera at James and zooms in. "It looks like an idiot."

Daniel looks at Imanu, ignoring the other two. "...but?"

Imanu pauses before realizing that Daniel wants him to finish before James got distracted. "Iqadi is a very rule-oriented person, you know that. She follows orders and goes by protocol but she won't hesitate to bend or completely break it for me."

Daniel smiles. "That's called love."

"I understood that eventually. It took my mother-in-law to tell me that Iqadi loves me more than I believed she did. It's just that I feel like I don't deserve it. I don't deserve _her_. She's too good for me. You know her, _she's a princess._"

Daniel nods, inhaling deeply with an empathetic smile. "I get that. I'm living that. I am …_ that_."

"Me too," Xavier adds.

"Same," James agrees.

"Yeah, definitely for you."

James glares at Xavier and mocks him.

-o-

The guys continue walking through the fair, figuring out what to do. There were so many options and the night was still very young. It helps that they're still wide awake after a long day at SHIELD Headquarters.

"And right there," James points at the Ferris wheel up ahead for Imanu to see, "is where I asked Angela to be my girlfriend."

"Oh, that's so sweet," Imanu replies happily.

"It's also where she didn't say yes," Xavier adds in the same chipper tone.

James frowns. "Don't ruin my story!"

"Just helping you tell it."

Daniel takes Imanu away from James. "Ignore them."

"If we go on that," Imanu points at the Ferris wheel, "do we have to take them with us?"

"Yes because if they get their own car, Xavier will throw him over once they reach the top."

"But James can fly."

Daniel knows Imanu has a point but _it's James_. " … still."

"How did you survive the Academy with them?"

"Good question."

-o-

The moment they spot an empty carnival game, they go for it. It's a booth where they had to shoot down duck swimming in rows of a cardboard river plastered on the other side of the booth. The goal is to knock them over with water guns. Aside from the vacancy, they could win a Thor plushie. It's the closest they'll get to having Apollo here so they will try and win it. But they also want to win against each other. So they take a seat, arm up, and start firing when the bell goes off.

"Let's see if Operations taught you two anything," Daniel says to Xavier and James.

Xavier and James glance at him oddly before returning to the game. _Who knew Daniel was so competitive over a carnival game?_ It's not like some stranger will win the Thor plushie.

Again, to their surprise, Imanu's doing great.

"Where did you learn that?" James asks. "I thought you didn't do combat things."

"I don't train but I watch," Imanu responds. "Not voluntarily."

James pauses shooting his water gun. He looks around. His friends are concentrating on the game and the attendant has zoned into another dimension. People passing are too focused on their own lives. So, with that in mind, James raises a fist and shoots some ducks down with his bioelectricity.

"Are you kidding me?!" Xavier screams.

James laughs maniacally as Xavier spins his water gun around and shoots him. Daniel and Imanu follow, laughing wildly.

* * *

** The relevant counterparts will be posted at the end of the next chapter.**

**A cute parallel is that as these chapters are going up, I'm writing Daniel's bachelor party in _PNG_.**


	49. Intersession: Guys Night II Part Two

**I wrote this chapter's concept in Britney's story as one of the sort-of-new chapters when I was revamping. It turned out better than I thought and ended up being one of my favourite chapters in her story. All my disclaimers about tarot readings are there.**

* * *

Intersession: Guys' Night II Part Two

_Coney Island - 3:15 AM_

They didn't win the Thor plushie but they wouldn't let that ruin their night.

"Look at that," Daniel says, gesturing to a deep purple tent between a candy apple booth and a custom t-shirt making station. "You want to get some tarot readings?"

"You're the _last_ person I thought would be suggesting that," Xavier states.

"Agreed," James and Imanu say before grinning at each other for synchronicity.

"I know," Daniel says, "there's no _real_ science or logic behind them but the girls did it for Iqadi's bachelorette party so, for Imanu's bachelor party and a sense of _shared human experience_, let's do it."

"Sure," James says, welcoming himself inside first. The other three follow.

-o-

The tent flaps close behind them and it's dark inside minus a string of dingy lightbulbs that flicker above them. A tall and slender woman walks out from the back, circling the table to greet them. She throws an arm out before bowing. Her skirt and hair billow as her necklaces, bracelets, and earrings jingle with her movement.

"Welcome, gentlemen," she greets, opening her arm to a table with _exactly_ four chairs on one side. There's a fifth one for her. "My name is Faustina and I will be your reader tonight."

Everyone takes a seat and she pulls out a deck of cards from what seemed like thin air. There's more than just the standard deck and she shuffles them with such ease as if the movements are second nature, automatic. Eventually, she spreads them out face down. All of them have a set of constellations drawn on them.

"Every card has a meaning, a prophecy," Faustina explains. "It comes with a story to predict your future and help you find your life's desires. To help you out, people come with a question or a hope. I tell them to pick five cards and I'll read your answers. Who's first?"

The guys look at each other._ Are they really about to do this?_

"I'll go," James says excitedly. _They're really going to do this._

James takes his dear sweet time picking his five cards. He puts some thought into his choices as if he knows which ones he wants. As he selects them, he flips them over. A flying monkey is playing the trumpet, a skeleton holding two scythes across its rib cage, a spindle, three people standing under a glowing triangle, and two bunnies surrounded by cups.

Faustina nods approvingly which makes James excited.

"One major part of your life ended," Faustina explains, "but a new one full of change and transitions will start. You're a bit scared because you want to return to a happier time when things were simpler and you're unsure, but you know life is full of good and bad. If something good happens, it'll become bad but that's fine because it'll get better. All you need is self-reflection."

"I do that all the time in the mirror," James says as if this information is mind-blowing.

The other guys roll their eyes. _Of course, James gets the narcissist cards._

"You must self-reflect or else the consequences of some choices will catch up to you," Faustina continues, "and could affect those around you. You're comfier in a group dynamic and you don't want to break it. If that happens, be the first to reach out and gain control to fix it."

James nods approvingly. He looks at the others. "This is fun."

"We'll see," Daniel says as Faustina reshuffles the deck. He looks at her. "I'll go."

Daniel looks at the cards once they're spread out. He peers over them for a few seconds before choosing one after an interval of three cards followed by four alternatively between. _He was three and Emily was four when they had their first kiss_. Daniel flips over his cards and observes them. There's a king sitting on his throne in front of a fire, a naked woman standing behind a pedestal with her arms open, a man with three swords crisscrossed above his head, a man on a horse with five candles behind him and another in his arm, and a topless mermaid.

"Nice choice," James says with a small laugh, referring to the cards with naked women on it.

"Thanks," Daniel responds with a sour taste in his mouth. _These don't look that good_.

Faustina smiles a little from the corner of her mouth. "You've achieved your goals, encountering great unity, wholeness, fulfilment, and achievement. Your love life seems to be moving into its next stage but you can still have small arguments here and there."

"Well," Imanu says to him, "you got your Ph.D. and you're getting married."

"Maybe you'll fight over table centrepieces," Xavier says before laughing.

Faustina smirks a little. "You must be aware of how your future will change. There's this inner voice inside of you that you will one day trust. Listen to him. You're not in sync with those emotions because you let it control you."

Daniel's mouth goes dry and none of his friends say anything. He knows what she's talking to and watches as she collects his cards to reshuffle. _His Hulk_. The one part of his life that he would get rid of in a heartbeat. Every time it made an appearance, it nearly destroyed his life. _A child. A car crash. His graduation_. It almost killed his friends and fiancé because it got out of his control every. Single. _Time_.

Imanu clears his throat, looking at Xavier. "Do you want to go or should I?"

Xavier glances at Daniel who's still lost in his haunted thoughts. "I'll go."

When the cards out, Xavier doesn't think. He picks and flips five randomly. There's a bird-like animal with its wings out and rays shooting out, a hand reaching out for the sun, a man looking over eight staves with one in his hand, a king wearing a star, and a queen on her throne wielding a sword. Xavier pretends not to notice the concern on Faustina's face. _Crap. He should've thought about them like James._

"You think you completed your life of struggle," Faustina starts, her tone sadder than before, "but you've only started to grow responsibilities. You think you're prepared, successful, abundant, and radiant but you neglect your personal issues. You give people strength, vitality, affection, loyalty, reliability, but your heart is heavy because your love for _her_ feels like a burden. You're too attached. You believe that love is more than a feeling because it's an adaptation to life's events. You're getting too exhausted to fight but keep going. Your experiences and emotions have become your personal prison."

Xavier slowly nods when she's done talking. _Has he been able to move on from Britney? _No. But hearing those words make him believe that he will be in so much more pain from his heartbreak as time passes, especially if she doesn't come back. All he has is his school life to distract him and he didn't think he was screwing himself over.

"Pretty accurate," Xavier relates as Faustina collects the cards. "Really, _really_, scarily accurate."

"Now, for you," Faustina says, laying out the cards for Imanu.

Imanu shakes as he picks his five cards and flips them over. He prays that they're good cards. There are six staves on top of a hill with an animal at the bottom that has another stave, the skeleton with scythes again, two interconnected snakes coming out of two cups, the bird-like creature with rays coming out of its spread wings again, and a man standing with ten swords crisscrossed behind him.

"Oh boy…" Imanu mutters.

Faustina meets his eyes and smiles a little from the corner of her mouth. "Your life has changed as well, pretty recently. You've been scared, uneasy, but you welcomed the transformation. It could be because you're trying to get away with something you don't want to be discovered. You had a night where you had to think on your feet and did something unlike you. It led to your partnership built on focus. You and your bride have become strong, committed, loving and equal with intertwined feelings."

"Wow…" Imanu mutters, a little creeped out by the accuracy. _Down to that night with the Contingency Plans._ He smiles a little to hide his insecurities. "That's pretty true."

"There will come a time when you'll overcome your obstacles when you'll become more comfortable with who you are."

"Sounds good."

"But it'll be followed by a time of disaster. A force greater than you can comprehend will hit you that you'll never have seen coming. You'll feel pain when there is nothing you could've done."

_Spoke too soon_. "Noted."

Faustina grins, collecting the cards. "Sorry for spooking you last three. I don't control the cards' messages. Would you like to do one more?"

_Honestly, no, _but they feel like they can't move from their chairs. _Apollo would've lightened the mood by laughing at his reading._ If they can't have Apollo here, maybe they could mimic his presence with a reading. Maybe there's the chance it'll predict his arrival.

"One for our friend," Xavier explains. "He's uh, he's out of town. We thought he'd be back today but nothing."

Faustian nods as if she knows their situation. She's a fortune reader, after all, so they wouldn't be surprised. "Each of you picks a card." She reshuffles the deck and spreads them out. "For the fifth one, pick it together."

The guys look at each other. _Are they really going to do this? _Sure. They have nothing to lose.

They pick the card in front of them when their arms stretch out. Each of them flips it over. James picked a woman wearing a cross and sitting on a throne. Daniel picked the skeleton with scythes. Xavier got the rabbits with six surrounds cups. Imanu picked a flying angel pouring water from one cup into another. Without discussing, they all go for the card right in the middle. Daniel flips it over and it's a knight on its horse.

"Your friend has changed," Faustina explains. "The person you know is dead. He keeps resisting the change that the divine female bestowed upon him. It's difficult for him to listen to the new path illuminated for him. His life and memories have vanished now that he's somewhere new. He's disconnected from who he was because his new goals are painful to follow."

"This seems a little extreme," James starts, scooting back in his chair. "Maybe we should -"

"Apollo has a clear vision on what to achieve but he's anxious. He has an event he doesn't expect soon. He's angry, frustrated, and at an extreme loss for power. He's trying to compensate for something that he doesn't have control over. At the end, he'll find a greater purpose and meaning in his actions."

-o-

They left the tent so emotionally drained although it's barely been thirty minutes. Just with five cards each, their souls were opened and exposed. Xavier lies across the grass, looking up at the night sky. James stands nearby, tapping on his phone as Daniel and Imanu sit beside Xavier.

Xavier clears his throat. "James, do you still want fireworks?"

James looks away from his screen. His eyes are wide as he lights up like a firework. "Yes! Are you serious?" He looks at Daniel. "Is he serious?"

Daniel has taken off his glasses but knows that James is looking at him. He's tired as well. "Go for it!"

James claps excitedly as he shrinks and flies away to get some. Daniel puts his glasses back on and sighs.

"Are you sure about the fireworks?" Imanu asks them.

"Use me as the shield," Xavier responds tiredly. "I don't care. Do you think I'm too attached?"

Imanu pauses. " … my English is bad so I didn't catch what she said, but it sounded fake to me."

Daniel groans. " … dammit, I can't use that excuse."

Xavier laughs a little. "That's a good answer. Can we talk about Apollo's reading for a second?"

"I picked the _death_ card!" Daniel yells in a hushed tone, making his words sound forced. "I know that it didn't mean _death _death, _but it was death!_ Faustina said it herself that the old Apollo died!"

"You and James got the death card too," Imanu points out. "Maybe you're drawn to it since you pulled it twice."

Daniel scoffs. "But James got a great fortune, as James always does. We got something about life changing. She didn't say _died_ in ours. He forgot about us because why else wouldn't he be here? He's off doing something new and -"

"Daniel," Imanu says, cutting him off. He notices that his friend is shaking. "Apollo isn't alone up there. Britney's with him, isn't she?"

"You don't think -?" Xavier starts before cutting himself off.

Daniel and Imanu are silent. The air around them is thick. Nobody wants to bring up that possibility. Although the mantra, _it becomes true when you say it_, isn't always real, it's finding the courage to say it that makes it grim. They can barely stomach it but maybe there was a coincidence to them not winning the Thor plushie and getting those cards for themselves and Apollo. Maybe there was a truth in the stars but they didn't want to admit that either.

Xavier raises his head and sees his friends in a petrified state. "Don't tell me you're believing that? I thought you would be the _last_ person to believe in all this."

"You heard what she said. It was freaky. You believe it since you almost asked -"

"Because it's true for me!" Xavier screams, putting his head back down against the grass. "Not for him or Britney."

"You don't know that. Don't you remember the readings with the girls?"

Imanu looks at him. "Those came true?"

"They told you theirs?" Xavier asks. _He didn't hear anything about this._

"Emily blabbed," Daniel confesses.

"What was it?"

Daniel hesitates on continuing. " … Britney hallucinated you and kissed Angela."

Imanu says nothing but Xavier remains more paralyzed that before. _He shouldn't have asked. He's not picturing that nor ever asking Angela about it_. Ignorance is bliss. If only he could have the last minute of his life back. To distract them from their woes, James flies back in and grows to his normal size. His too excited smile is alarming.

"Alright," James starts, "I've returned with fireworks but I forgot to get a lighter thing so I was planning to use my bioelectricity. How does that sound?"

Nobody says anything because that is the dumbest and most dangerous idea he could've ever come up with.

-o-

_The Next Day - Wakanda's Palace - 11:45 AM_

Imanu returns in Wakanda. He quickly went through the formal welcomes and walks right up to his room. When he walks inside, he sees Iqadi at her vanity. She turns when the door opens and she's beaming brightly. A reason why she didn't greet him down there was because she knew that he would've preferred to see him privately. _As if he wanted to be in a crowd of security_. But he's glad to be home and seeing her so bright.

"Hi," Iqadi greets.

"I love you so much," Imanu responds.

Before Iqadi could ask, he makes his way over and kisses her. Iqadi smiles as he holds her waist, wanting him to put her down on their bed.

"You were gone for a night, not a year," Iqadi says before continuing to kiss him. "You must've enjoyed yourself, didn't you? Unless you didn't. Did James do something?"

Imanu parts for a second, seeing the concern on her face. "No, no, it was great. James played with fireworks, almost blew up Daniel's car - it was better than any of us could've ever asked for."

Iqadi smiles, calming down. "That makes me so happy."

"I know." He continues to kiss her.

* * *

**Like in Britney's story, all the cards were picked with a random generator. I read the descriptions and crafted a fortune. Same case scenario, the cards were scarily accurate.**

**The first Guys' Night chapter:  
****_Emily's Counterpart_**** \- Chapter 220: Guys' Night I**

**The girls getting their readings:  
****_Britney's Counterpart_**** \- Chapter 276: (Britney Braun) Bachelorette Black Magic**

**Get ready for sophomore year!**


	50. Year Two: The Outsider's Perspective

**Welcome to Year Two! I know it may have been a week for you, but I'm writing this right after I finished the previous chapter (and a small break to work on a paper). But I'm excited because I'm in my sophomore year (basically junior by the time this gets published since Brody just got introduced in the published chapters, as of when I'm writing this. Now when I'm publishing this, I'm halfway through planning Year Three).**

**This chapter has a slightly different format but it introduces a new person to the mix.**

* * *

Year Two: The Outsider's Perspective

_Edison Residence - 4:22 AM_

First day of sophomore year and he didn't sleep a wink last night.

He arrived on campus yesterday, unpacked in his new dorm, met his new roommate, and memorized his academic timetable for the year. _Like most people on campus_. For some reason, he feels more nervous than before school started last year. It made no sense. This was a point where he should be more comfortable with a university lifestyle. _He has a goddamn Ph.D. in software engineering and he's scared by not recognizing any of his professor's names._

So he didn't sleep that night. He attempted to race the Earth's rotation but fell into a black hole for an hour. When he woke up, he was wide-awake to the point where he couldn't go back to sleep. _Might as well get to the busted coffee machine before anyone else does!_

The moment he steps out of the room, he doesn't know how, but the fatigue hits him like a meteorite. He starts yawning but the drive to go back to sleep has left the atmosphere. _Where did these space puns come from? _He must be _that_ tired.

He makes his way into the kitchen and sees someone waiting in front of the coffee machine. _Dammit. Someone beat him here_. The longer he looks, he notices that it couldn't be anyone from his floor because it's a girl. _A hot one at that._

When the coffee machine beeps - _a busted machine that now seems to work - _she picks up a brewing cup and turns around. As he watches her move, her brown hair flies around her shoulder. A perfectly manicured hand wraps around a fresh, steaming cup and its handle. When he looks up from her designer outfit, he sees a perfect smile lined with rosy lips and bright round eyes. _And he's in his old pyjamas: a worn-out Iron Man tee and matching patterned pants with dark circles under his eyes and a bedhead._

When reality returns to its normal speed, he recognizes her but is too tired to react.

It's Emily Stark. Daughter of Tony Stark, Iron Man, _an Avenger_. _His unattainable crush_. A goddess within these walls. Here. At the Academy. On his floor. In front of a coffee machine that was fixed by her presence.

"Here," Emily Stark says, handing him the fresh cup of coffee she made.

"Thanks…" He responds, hesitantly taking the cup.

Emily Stark smiles at him with her perfectly painted lips as she grabs her purse from the counter. "Anytime."

_Where are his manners?_ "Wait, you should have this. I'll make my own cup."

"Pass. I have a flight in thirty minutes and an introductory exam across the ocean in six hours counting the time difference and distance from the airport to campus. You look like you need it more than I do."

He can't argue with that because she looks like the goddess she is and he seems to have crawled out of the black hole he fell into. He blows on the cup to cool it down before taking a quick sip. _Wow_. The coffee even tastes better because of her presence...and he doesn't even like coffee.

"Anyways…" Emily Stark mutters. "I must be off. It was nice meeting you…?"

It takes him a minute to realize that Emily Stark was waiting for him to introduce himself. _How embarrassing_, but that eyebrow raise of hers was enticing.

"Keith," he says.

Emily Stark smiles again. "Nice meeting you Keith. I love your pyjamas."

Keith nods as he takes another sip of the delicious coffee. Her heels click against the floor, stopping in front of the elevator. Then, Keith _remembers_…

"Good luck on your exam!" He calls out to her.

-o-

_Sci-Tech Lecture Room - 8:20 AM_

After Keith finished his coffee, he stayed in his residence building. There were some pre-class readings he was skimming over so they were fresh in his mind by the time he got to class. _It's second-year: syllabus day doesn't exist anymore. Just pretend to read the two pages and continue your life_, try to hand in assignments on time (but that's wishful thinking.) He already read them on the plane ride here from back home. When the time came, he got to class early enough to find a good seat _aka the one closest to the outlets and the door_.

He glances at people walking in. Some people he recognizes from last year's classes, residence, the library, or just around campus. _Damn_. Some people really did change over the summer. _He didn't._

And then he sees Daniel Banner and James Pym walk in. _Oh, boy…_

Daniel Banner has already created a stir at SHIELD Academy. He's conspicuously brilliant and likes to work his ass off. For one thing, he was already thinking of future dissertations (or, at least, that's what he's heard. Based on what he knows about Daniel, he believes it.) Another rumour he heard was that whenever Daniel gets a perfect score on a paper, his average _goes down_. Somehow. Word had also spread that one of the Sci-Tech board members claimed he was the most gifted Ph.D. candidate they'd ever encountered since being on the board. As much as Keith wants to believe that - _he's shared classes with Daniel and the boy was undoubtedly a genius_ \- but maybe Daniel was their favourite because he was the first to present his thesis. _Therefore they had nothing else to compare it to. _Keith didn't even try on his dissertation. He did it well enough to get into second year and still be better than the majority of his classmates.

James Pym didn't even have to try or, if he did, he hid it inside the cups of his prestigious hot steamed latte and iced mocha he has in his hands. _Did he even study?_ _Why does he have two coffees at different temperatures? They're_ _likely from the newly blessed coffee machine on their floor. _Last year, Keith remembers that James's outfits alternated from an Operations' training uniform, a sweater vest and jeans, or sometimes a combination of the uniform with a sweater vest on top. It bothers Keith how he could pull off that stupid outfit. He never even brought a bag to class. He'd only have his phone and stupid smirk to charm their profs. It irritated Keith in ways he can't explain without his brain exploding.

"This was the worst weekend of my life," James tells Daniel. They stop before heading deeper into the class, standing nearby Keith's spot. "I came to campus last Friday for a party and it was the worst party I've ever been to. I got so drunk that I somehow pulled a hamstring. I have my pre-class lab report due in three hours but I was too blackout drunk to start. Still haven't started it, though. I think I'm hungover. I have to go run laps later today but I'm skipping...not to write the report but I know that you want me to. There was a girl at the party who looked like one of my high school hookups and, _thank god_, she wasn't."

"She doesn't even go to this school," Daniel tells him. He looks done with James's shit, which, _same_. "None of your former hookups do."

"I know! It's amazing."

Keith can't help but eavesdrop. Not only are they right there but James talks so loud that the whole class probably heard him. As entertaining as that weekend sounds, _definitely more fun than his_, it was too early for this and James. _Now's never a good time for James, _if he's thinking honestly.

Then, the worst happens to Keith: James looks at him with a bright grin.

"Hi, Keith Loughty!" James exclaims, handing Daniel one of his coffees just to wave at him like a child.

Keith fakes a smile back, really wondering why James was talking to him. _They were lab partners for one class, not friends. _Keith is more surprised that James remembers him and his stupid _Hi Keith_ gimmick. And James _had_ to add his last name, didn't he?

"What are you doing?" Daniel asks James.

James shrugs, taking back his other coffee. "I don't know, to be honest. Just going through the motions till graduation_."_

Both Daniel and Keith give James the same strange face when James takes a sip from his hot coffee followed by the cold one.

"You know," James tells them when he sees their faces, "changing the palette's temperature alters the neurons in a way that increases focus."

_Again, too early for this and him_.

They look over at the door and see the professor walking in.

"Let's go find a seat," Daniel says to James, walking ahead.

Before James follows, he looks at Keith with a perky grin. "Bye, Keith Loughty!"

-o-

_Cafeteria - 11:02 AM_

Keith got a small sandwich to eat before his next class. Before he takes a seat, he spots James entering the cafeteria. _Oh god, he hopes he doesn't spot him_. Thankfully, James doesn't, but that's only because James is with his girlfriend, Operations babe, Angela Rogers. They're likely having a lunch date on the first day of class. _Cute, right? Right?_

_Of-fucking-course._

Keith watches as Angela peels the wrapper off a muffin, takes a bite, and closes her eyes in pure delight. James stifles a laugh. It's weird how they could get such joy from delicious yet normally average cafeteria food. Maybe they're constantly craving calories from those Operations classes and their endless physical exertion. But they can eat anything and still look amazing. _Not fair._

"This is very un-vegan of me," Angela says as James pays for the muffin. "Is this muffin even vegan?"

"It _said_ vegan," James responds as they walk out towards the sitting area. They don't find a place to sit but just stand close to each other. _Like a PDA couple but Keith begs that they don't kiss because he really wants to eat this sandwich_. "The reason vegan food is called _impossible_ is because it shouldn't exist."

Angela glares at him in a way that looks like a smile. She hands him the rest of the muffin and he laughs to himself as he finishes it off.

And, _of course_, can't complete James's douche appearance without his _girl-next-door _girlfriend_. _Angela Rogers: perky, blonde, beautiful, athletic, vegan. _What else is there to say? She's the whole package and more._ He heard that she was a former ballerina, baker, gymnast, pageant queen, violinist, head cheerleader, and babysitter. Keith has to give her credit, though, because from her eyes, having a boyfriend seems great because it'll give her someone to gossip to and James won't tell anyone because he wouldn't even be listening. He always seems to shut off his ears and open his eyes wider just to check her out. _But can he blame him? It's Angela Rogers._

"I finally understand why my dad likes ants," James states. "They're so orderly and purposeful."

Keith isn't surprised that James said something as odd as that. _Frankly, nobody ever is_. Everyone loves James because they don't take him seriously. Keith's unsure if James wants to be the hero of his story because he's really the comic relief. He and Angela stand in a spotlight, casting a shadow over all the inferiors, including himself.

"You know who I want to sleep with?" A random girl asks her friend as they walk by Keith.

"Who?" The friend questions.

"Xavier Rogers."

"Right?! Me too! Traditionalism is hot and I heard that he was saving it for marriage."

"I guess I'll just wait for him to propose."

They walk away with their smoothies, cackling like harmonious ravens. Keith shudders at that sound.

_Of course, it's Xavier Rogers_. Xavier Rogers, the classic all-American _boy-next-door_. It makes sense that he's Angela's twin considering that she's such a _girl-next-door. _All the girls here fawn over him, even the ones not in his program, probably because he looks like a douche but, shockingly, isn't one. _Keith isn't sure he fully believes that but that's what people say. _And there's something about handsome looks and abs that Keith doesn't want to delve into since he, personally, can't relate.

But Angela heard that conversation as well and her disgusted face makes Keith laugh. But he holds it in so he doesn't draw their attention. _As if they'd look at him anyways_. James is laughing and Keith doesn't want to admit that he'd use that moment as projection.

"What was that about?" Xavier asks, approaching his twin and her boyfriend. _Of course, he shows up about now._

"Nothing," Angela and James say in sync. _And they're one of those couples._

Xavier glares at them, mostly at James. _Keith can relate to that._

-o-

_Academy Courtyard - 15:40 PM_

Between classes, Keith sits on a bench in the courtyard. He scrolls through his phone, waiting for time to pass until his next class. _If only he brought his headphones_. He could walk back to Edison and get them but then it'd be time to get to class so there was no point. Instead, he can enjoy the sound of people walking by him, friends catching up on their summers and whatnot. Or ignore them.

Nothing catches his attention until someone sits down on the other end of his bench. He looks over and it's Merida Barton, talking on the phone with her backpack thrown in the space between them. She has a leg crossed over the other, the leg on the bottom shaking as she waits for a response from her phone call. Merida Barton is the girl who wants people to believe she's seen some shit but it's really just bullshit. He can't help and stare at her because she's wearing a leather jacket and leather boots with too many zippers. _Who needs all those fucking zippers?_

"But, Mom, I'm desperate," Merida says on the phone.

Keith doesn't mean to eavesdrop but Merida's _right_ there. She's like James: they talk too loud.

"Can't you just use express mail?" Merida asks. "Or drive here? I'll send you the money."

Keith glances and sees Merida waiting for a response. Eventually, she groans which likely meant _no express mail or a drive_.

"No, I'm not going to ask around!" Merida exclaims. Her legs are now uncrossed and feet flat on the ground. "What if they don't have the kind I like? It's not like anyone would want to share it, especially with _me_. Can you put Dad on the phone?"

Merida's silent as she waits for her dad to get on the line.

"It's not _borrowing_, Dad," Merida says through gritted teeth. "I can't give it back once I'm done with it."

She cranes her head back, almost rolling her eyes as her father chatters.

"And if I do that, I'll need a military-grade rope," Merida states.

Keith turns to look at her horrified. She doesn't notice because, why would she? If she saw him, she would've probably left to have that conversation somewhere else. _Or at least lowered her tone_.

"No, I'm not going to ask one of my profs for rope!" Merida says more annoyed this time.

Merida glances in his direction and Keith's eyes widen and heart stops in a second. He immediately turns to go back to looking at his phone. He hopes that she doesn't see or care about him, _especially with the mention of a possible military-grade rope_. He continues watching Merida through his peripheral vision and she seems to have moved on from him.

"Fine," Merida says, putting her backpack on one shoulder and getting up. "I'll just go into town and find some wild curly-haired shampoo myself."

Keith looks at her again. Only Merida Barton can make getting shampoo sound like a drug deal and a murder in a few sentences. He watches her leave, hearing her curse about New Jersey's strangeness.

-o-

_Sci-Tech Laboratory - 16:53 PM_

Keith will admit that maybe he's a little harsh on that group. He knows their names, not their backstories. He sees their pearly smiles, not whatever pain they may feel. He'll maybe catch their bruises from a training session but not any emotional scars. He can read lips but not their minds. He won't pretend that he likes them if he didn't like them. He'll tolerate and be civil because there's a difference between being adults and being fakes. _It's like high school all over again but switch punches for PhDs. _What people think of others actually tells them more about himself …_ whatever_. As if he would ever find himself fraternizing with them.

What a wild first day for him. It started with Emily Stark - wait. _Wait a fucking minute._ Emily Stark was there. In his residence. On his floor. Fixed the coffee machine and gave him a cup.

He couldn't have dreamt that. It was too real. _Too real seeming to have been a dream_.

"Oh my fucking god," Keith mutters mid-lecture.

"What is it?" Daniel, who's sitting right next to him, whispers.

"Dude, you won't believe it."

"Believe what?"

"Emily Stark fixed our coffee machine."

Daniel opens his mouth but pauses, thinking about what to say. _It must be that shocking to him as well. "_ … huh?"

"And she loved my pyjamas."

" … huh."

* * *

**Allow me to introduce Keith Loughty, our fourth rando!**

**The snippet about the two coffees happened. I was sitting in class and some kid walked in with a hot coffee and a cold one for himself. I didn't ask since I didn't know him, but it was pretty iconic.**

**This chapter was me roasting my children and I was both laughing and crying for them. ****_Thanks, Keith. _****I honestly love this chapter. It's one of my favourites.**


	51. Year Two: The Emily Stark Protocol

**As much as I miss writing in Emily's POV and Emily in general, writing her like this is so much fun.**

* * *

Year Two: The Emily Stark Protocol

_[11:29 AM]_

_[Group Message for Student Living on the Eighth Floor of Edison Residence]_

_Emergency meeting in the kitchen at around 3:30. At least one person from each dorm must attend._

-o-

_Edison Residence - 15:27 PM_

James and Daniel exit the elevator on their floor since they were both available to attend. Within the common wing, they see a lot of the neighbouring boys surrounding the kitchen. _Wow, people actually listened to the emergency meeting. _Daniel and James scoot closer to the front. They expect to see their RA since they assumed he'd review new rules or maybe a drill. But to everyone's surprise, it's Keith.

"Hi, Keith!" James exclaims, waving dramatically over his head.

Keith narrows his eyes in annoyance. He gives a quick wave back that resembled a swipe and James cheers at the recognition. Keith focuses back on trying to get everyone's attention to the meeting but they're chatting amongst themselves. When he's unable to do so, James whistled loudly which makes the entire room silence. James smiles at Keith and grabs Daniel's phone so he'll pay attention too (the boy was texting his fiancée so James sends her a quick _brb_). Keith is stunned for a moment before clearing his throat and starting.

"As some of you have probably noticed," Keith says, pointing to their floor's coffee machine. "The busted coffee machine we've inherited from our upper years which they inherited from their upper years and so on has now been fixed. You might be thinking that its legacy is over but it's only been enhanced for future generations to use."

The kitchen atmosphere fills with sounds of curiosity. Boys ask the one next to them if they have any idea about this. Nobody does. Even if they used the machine, they didn't notice that it was fixed because why would they? It's been busted since, well, _forever_. James and Daniel glance at each other and shrug.

"At the early hours of this very morning," Keith continues, "this coffee machine has been blessed by our goddess, Emily Stark."

Most boys don't believe it because why would _Emily Stark_ be here, of all places, especially when there's a paparazzi photo of her landing in Italy. But it can't be a coincidence that the decade-long busted machine just started working. James knows that Emily was in their dorm with Daniel so he definitely believes it. He's just playing along with everyone's shock with some gasps and _no way! _expressions. Daniel laughs nervously, honestly unsure of how to react. _They should've gotten a hotel. _If he plays along with James's act, he'll be incredibly fake and everyone would know. _If they even spare him a look_.

"She could've bought us a new one but she worked her magic instead," Keith points out. "The coffee it makes is holy now."

Daniel puts up a hand, clearing his throat. "So, is that the point of this emergency meeting?"

Keith points at Daniel and his heart stops for a moment. _They're onto him_. If there weren't so many people, Daniel would make a run for it like he did when his engagement was revealed to the world. Nobody knew he was the _mystery fiancé_ but it still scares him that it could all come out at any given moment. _Like now_. Emily was spotted here, _not that far from his dorm_. It was only Keith who interacted with her but some other boys chimed in that they thought they saw her in the parking lot, exiting the elevator, and at any other point but didn't believe it at the time because, as mentioned, _why would she be here?_.

"Thanks, Daniel, that reminds me." Keith picks up their dorm rules and guidelines book. Every dorm had one and it was usually hidden in the back of closets or somewhere in a cabinet, dresser. or behind someone's mattress. Nobody remembered they had one until finding it while packing to leave at the end of the year. "The Director of the Sci-Tech updated this and we're all supposed to pick one up. It's one per dorm. You bring your old one to the main desk and exchange it for the new one. They would prefer it if you did it at some point today."

"What's the difference?" Someone in the back asks. "More prohibited items?"

Everyone laughs because that list is ridiculous and often ignored and/or disobeyed. That is, until it's time for a surprise dorm inspection then they quickly throw those things out the window.

Keith flips open the book to one of the first pages. He holds it out for everyone to see, moving it up and down so those in the front and back can get a glimpse.

"There's a new drill called _The Emily Stark Protocol_," Keith reads. James has to hold back his laughter and Daniel's unsure what that means. "The book says that if she's on campus, we're to address her as _Ms. Stark_ or _Emily Stark_. We don't have the pleasure of being her friends. Don't approach like a crazed fanatic, keep a minimum distance of ten feet. If you're caught in an elevator with her, get off at the next floor and take the next one. Don't speak unless spoken to."

As the list goes on, James is almost failing at keeping the laughter in. This list was so ridiculous that he loves it. He wants to run back to his dorm, find their old guideline book just to get the new one, and have a laugh over that list. What makes this better is, not only is he skipping an Operations lecture on piloting techniques for this _emergency meeting_, but the other guys on their floor are listening attentively. He glances at Daniel and sees the subtle yet mortified expression.

"So, who's going to break it to _Emily Stark_ that we can't be friends anymore?" James whispers to Daniel.

"Emily's spotted and they reprint our entire manual in _a few hours_," Daniel whispers back. "It's almost been twelve hours since she left. They already wrote up all these rules, got approval from the top, and now there's a whole new manual after _years_ of it being the same."

"Matches the coffee machine." James smiles despite Daniel's annoyance. "What? She's a powerful lady. You, of all people, know that. She just shows up and the rules are changed."

"According to our RA," Keith continues once the boys have dialled it down again, "this addition to the manual got approved by the Director of Sci-Tech right away. Usually, they let it go under testing but they just printed this one without a second thought."

Daniel suddenly realizes a possibility why that's the case takes his phone back from James. As Keith continues talking, Daniel quickly sends James an explanation text that he reads the moment he gets it.

_Daniel: Emily has at least six-figures of Academy money in her hands that she still has to redistribute. Sci-Tech is so eyeing it._

_James: That powerful bitch. She'd make them beg for it._

_James: Is it bad that I want to watch?_

_Daniel: Not at all._

-o-

_Sci-Tech Lecture Room - 15:50 PM_

"So, Keith is in love with Emily," James says as he and Daniel walk to their next class.

"Who isn't in this program?" Daniel responds rhetorically. _It was a common fact since first year._

"Me, but I'm in love with her platonically so you have a point."

"But why bring up Keith, of all people?"

"Because I want to adopt Keith as my child. It'd be weird if he had a crush on his godmother like that."

Daniel stops walking for a second to process that statement. _Nope, no comprehension. In one ear and out the other. _" … no."

James shrugs. "Fine, I'll raise him on my own."

They spot Keith heading to a different classroom, When Keith looks over at them, James, as per usual, waves excitedly at him with a _Hi Keith!_ Keith purposely ignores him before heading inside the classroom. James's jaw drops open in a horrified shock. _How dare he be ignored by his future adopted child like that?_ It doesn't help that Daniel's laughing beside him.

"The bad influences around here…"

-o-

It's been thirty minutes in the lecture on oscillations and waves but it's felt like thirty years. Listening to this professor talk was like watching paint dry. It got to the point where it hurt to blink because the moment the eyes shut, they would black out and go to sleep. _Some already have._ James couldn't even go on his phone without zoning out because of the dulling lecture as background noise. _Why did he even come to class? _Daniel ended up drawing black holes on his notepad and getting dizzy in them.

And, at some point, the professor notices how lethargic the class is.

He sighs. "I was so close to having Emily Stark in this class…"

That set of words woke everyone right up, even Daniel and James. The professor has no idea why everyone's suddenly alert and staring at him as if a godsend. Daniel and James don't even have to look at each other to know what's building within the rows of students. Silence says the things people struggle to verbalize. There were no words for anyone. A small fraction of this class went to the meeting on Keith's floor so there can't be anything coincidental about the coffee machine and their professor's revelation.

"Emily Stark almost attended the Academy?!" is screamed in many variations within the room. Someone falls on the floor and it seems like they fainted.

Amid the chaos, James pulls out his phone. It'd be easier to talk to Daniel this way without anyone eavesdropping. And it's not like they could hear each other over the chaos.

_James: Should've gotten a hotel room._

_Daniel: Shut up._

_James: Now they'll have to reprint the rulebooks again. _

"Sir, do you know Emily Stark's fiancé?" A student asks.

The professor shoots the kid a dirty look and shakes his head. "No, and that's not my business. I pity the poor kid if he's a student here."

James holds back a laugh and Daniel's eyes widen. He knows his professor means well because imagine being the _mystery fiancé_ in an environment where everyone's crazed over the future bride? It's impossible, but Daniel gives himself credit for making it this long.

He looks down at his phone when it turns on.

_James: At least someone supports you. _

_Daniel: I hate you. _

_James: Seriously. I will pay for your hotel room. It'll let me bring my girl over more ;)._

-o-

_Edison Residence - 2:40 AM_

James walks into his dorm after a late lab session (and a visit to Angela's room). He has his phone to his ear and is about to turn on the light but doesn't have to since Daniel's still awake. Daniel turns around in his chair, closing his textbook as James lights up. He points at his phone excitedly, mouthing something that Daniel can't read.

"Do you know people there?" James asks, putting his phone on speaker. He closes their door as he walks closer to Daniel.

_Emily: I'm familiar with most of my classmates and neighbours in residence because we're all the same - business tycoon kids. And we all have the same kidnapping insurance._

Daniel smiles at the sound of her voice, despite the concerning words, before giving James a face.

"Are you sure you should be calling her here?" Daniel asks him.

Not only could anyone be listening but their neighbours could be asleep or studying. And now wasn't good timing because of their Emily-eccentric day. But it's not like Emily was in the same timeline as them. She's in Milan where it's early in the morning for her. She just woke up while the boys are about to either pull an all-nighter or call it a night.

_Emily: Hey, babe. You don't want to talk?_

"He's having a day," James responds. "Thank god - oh, shit, I can no longer say I don't go to your school anymore!"

Emily gasps and Daniel smiles, mostly at James's defeat. He's shocked he only realized _now_ that he can't say that anymore.

_Emily: But I can!_

She clears her throat and James narrows his eyes.

_Emily: Thank god I don't go to your school._

"I said it better," James argues. Daniel would disagree but he has a bias.

_Emily: Well, now you can't say it so I win by default._

"Speaking of your victories around here, you left outfits, shoes, and accessories in our closets."

_Emily: I want to pack light for when I visit._

They know that's not true. She'll still show up here with at least a full suitcase.

Daniel stands up and takes James's phone. He turns off the speaker and holds it to his ear before leaning against the frame of the bunk bed. James lets him continue the call as he unwinds from his day.

"How was your exam?" Daniel asks.

_Emily: Splendid. How was your morning coffee?_

Daniel could hear the chipper in her voice. He knows what she wants him to bring up. He thought James would've mentioned it already. "I feel spiritually awoken."

_Emily: Odd word choice but I'll take it. _

"You need to stay away from the the Academy."

_Emily: Babe, I just fixed your coffee machine._

"You should've just bought us a new one with the scholarship money."

_Emily: I love you but I can't hear you. I'm too far from the Academy! _

Daniel smiles as he hears her laugh before she hangs up.


	52. Year Two: Almost Unnoticed

**I'm finally free from summer school...for about two weeks but still.**

**Also, we've reached 100,000 words!**

* * *

Year Two: Almost Unnoticed

_A Little Over a Year Ago - Wakanda's Council Room_

Iqadi's always had the final say in her choice for a suitor, but that didn't mean anybody else had an opinion. Aside from not understanding the idea of romantic love, she knew everyone's thoughts. Not knowing whose to prioritize made her selection process more difficult than it should be. At the end of the day, she chose her opinion which is the foundation of all the others. Everyone else had their reactions, some confused and others thrilled.

One of the critiques she tried to ignore was from Wakanda's Council. As the elder representatives from each tribe, they were the speakers for their people. (Supposedly.) But, as in politics elsewhere, self-serving biases are inevitable. _Out of all her options, why pick Imanu? They wondered._ After her engagement, Iqadi feared that Imanu would have a hard time adjusting like her mother. Everyone went tough on her mother because she was an outsider mutant who won young King T'Challa's heart on a whim.

She doesn't want the same treatment for Imanu, even if might have it easier being a normal human Wakandan.

Iqadi smiles courtesy as she stands before the Council. She's already had a lengthy chat about her decision.

"I say this in the most respectful way I can," Iqadi says, keeping her composure. "Get over it. It's been over three decades since my parents wed. My father married outside his selection but my mother fully assimilated into his life and culture because she saved it. Do you know why she did that? Because she saw someone who needed help, someone who lost everything and needed someone to believe in him. She was loyal to my father and to Wakanda, which is a lot more than I can say about you."

After endless years of critiquing the Panther regime, the Council is left speechless, which works since Iqadi isn't done.

"You'd better treat your queen, my _mother_, with the respect she deserves because if it wasn't for her being from elsewhere, you wouldn't have your king or your country. You claim to thrive on Wakanda's progressiveness but then you eat your words whenever you mention my mother. With that in mind, if I notice you giving my fiancé a hard time, I'll be back."

-o-

_Present Day - Academy Courtyard - 10:39 AM_

It's still the first week of second year so classes were still warming up. Nobody was on the verge of a breakdown yet. Everything was calm and collected as everyone was readjusting back to the school routine. There was a new schedule to follow and classes and professors to get used to before the school year really hits them.

"What were you up to this summer?" Daniel asks his friends around him. Currently, Angela, James, and Xavier sit nearby.

It was a bit of a surprise for them to be spending the summer apart. Before the Academy, they spent nearly every day together. They went from being a part of each other's daily routines to seeing each other a few times a week and only hearing from them. One of the biggest changes was going from Emily driving up to their houses for a day of fun to wondering when she was flying back into town. As for the others, the only time they were really in town together was for the anniversary of The Battle of New York and for a bit nearing the end of summer.

"You know what we were doing all summer," Xavier responds.

Daniel shrugs. "It seems like a reasonable question to ask."

"Did you notice Apollo and Britney never came back?" Angela asks.

"I was honestly waiting for someone to bring that up," James says.

"I wasn't," Xavier grumbles. Angela looks at her twin with sympathy.

"But four months went by fast and none of us were really in town together," Daniel reasons for Xavier's sake. "Maybe they haven't completed their plan of _rewriting_ _fate_ and won't come back until they have something more substantial to work with."

Xavier shrugs, not exactly believing that but going with it. "I guess…"

Angela sighs. "Don't worry. We'll be so busy that another year will fly by and we won't notice. We're already oddly adjusting to never really seeing each other that often."

"That's morbid," James says.

"It's true."

"Doesn't make it less morbid."

Merida walks up to her friends and puts her bag down on the ground before taking a seat with them. She gets the hint that this was a conversation she didn't want to be in, but she'll stay.

Daniel looks up from his phone, perked up with an idea. "Norse mythology says that Asgardian communication between realms can be done by ravens. We just have to send one."

"And where would we find a raven?" Angela asks, sort of sarcastically. _As if they were going to get a raven and somehow send it to Asgard. _They're good and resourceful kids, but not at _that_ level.

Merida shrugs. "We're in New Jersey. We'll find someone."

"Oh, look, there's a raven," James points out.

They turn to see a bird swimming in the courtyard's pond. It takes them a moment to think about the bird before giving James a strange face. That bird wasn't a raven or even a duck. What's more alarming is how confident James was in his observation.

" … that's a goose," Daniel says.

"Close enough," James states.

"I'm not touching it."

"Me neither," Merida says.

"Wait, we're serious about the goose?" Angela questions. _She should've known better._

"I'll handle the goose," Xavier states.

Everyone watches him as he gets up. Nobody questions him as he grabs his bag before heading inside the building. They wouldn't have been surprised if Xavier went after that goose in the pond. Maybe he will think of a strategy and execute it later. _Or maybe he got tired of this conversation _but they'd be lying if they said they _didn't_ want to watch Xavier try and catch a goose.

"Oh, Angela," Merida says, "I just got my transcript for my work study. You should give that to the academic office before the end of the day or else you will be stuck with freshies in the office who want to switch their classes or cry for their mommies."

Angela nods, glancing at the time on her phone. "I have class soon, so I'll just handle that now. Was it emailed?"

"Yup. The file is locked but the password is your student number."

"Thank you." Angela gets up, kissing James quickly before waving goodbye to the others.

"Did I waste four months?" James questions, watching his girlfriend disappear into one of the Academy buildings.

"Probably," Merida says, scrolling through her phone. "What did you do once you left the godawful sanctuary that is this campus?"

James sits back and thinks. The fact that he's thinking should be an answer enough. He visited Angela for a bit in Washington and then came home. He followed his parents around like a mindless child (that he is). He was tethered to their hips for so long that every occasion spent with them all blurred together. There was a time that he and Emily went to a few rich glitzy parties and got blackout drunk after. Ironic enough, that was probably the highlight of his summer and he doesn't remember much of it.

-o-

_Operations' Lecture Room - 11:15 AM_

Angela stands outside of her classroom, waiting for the previous class to end. She looks up from her phone and sees Orchid and Brody heading her way. Angela smiles at them once they notice her and she slips her phone in her pocket. Angela can't help but think that they're getting close. She knows that they've hooked up during first year and now it seems like the summer a whole world apart did nothing to them. She'd have to ask Xavier about it but knowing him, she's better off asking Orchid. _Bless that girl's bluntness._

"Angela!" Orchid exclaims before hugging her, rocking her back and forth. She missed hearing that perky accent. "Look at how beautiful you are. Where's Xavier?"

"He went to go get a goose," Angela responds. _Wow, that sounds dumb._

"Alright," Orchid states. It's probably the most normal thing she's ever heard. Must be an everyday thing for her on the farm.

"Nice," Brody adds before looking at Orchid. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Orchid puts her hands on her hips, turning around to smirk at Brody. "Depends … are you wondering how City Boy's going to catch a goose?"

"Actually, I wanted to watch you catch a goose."

"You're so sweet." Orchid playfully punches his bicep.

"But watching Xavier would be entertaining."

"Let's go!"

Angela shrugs to herself as she watches them run off.

-o-

_Just Outside the Academy - 11:22 AM_

Sitting on a bench outside the Academy's gates, Xavier is hunched forwards. His hands are covered his mouth as he looks forwards. Along the marshy grass wet from the rain were a _gaggle of geese_, that he just learned was the proper term from looking up how to capture one (and getting no useful results). _What is he even doing here? _He should be in class but he's looking at a _gaggle of geese_ hoping that one can somehow get to Asgard and tell his best friend and high school sweetheart that he misses them. _What is he without them? _He's not exactly sure, as of now, but the answer seems to be someone lurking over _a gaggle of geese._

_Would his friends do this for him?_ Probably not. _Was sitting here and looking like a psycho worth getting attacked by a goose that won't get to Asgard?_ Maybe. He's still thinking over the numbers. If the odds are in his favour, maybe he'll give it a shot.

"Hi, bestie."

Xavier turns around and sees Orchid smiling wildly at him, rocking on her feet and Brody beside him. He isn't sure what to say because there are no proper words to describe what he's doing. _I'm trying to contact my friends in Asgard and we don't want to contact some sketchy man for a raven so we decided on a goose. And by we, I mean me because nobody was willing to get a goose and I'm not even that determined. I was about to bail._ Those were too many words to use to explain a growing mental breakdown.

"What happened during your summer that led you to this point?" Brody asks, taking a seat next to him on the bench as Orchid remains standing behind them. The three of them look at the gaggle of geese, pondering.

"Good question," Xavier responds. "I don't remember coming here."

"Your sister said you were going to get a goose."

_Thanks, Angela, thanks_. "Oh, well I can explain -"

"No need."

"Really?" _Bless Australia's weird animal collection._

Brody laughs a little. "I'm kidding, please explain."

Xavier hoped this would never happen. "Uh, Daniel said that maybe we can use a goose to try and call our friends."

At that moment, Xavier realized how stupid that sounded. In front of the others, it barely sounded normal. For Brody, he didn't look fazed.

"Cool," he states. "So what are you going to get this goose to say? Or are you going to tie a note around it's neck with a ribbon?"

Xavier sighs. "I didn't get that far with planning."

To their surprise, Orchid hasn't said anything. They both turn around and notice that she isn't standing there anymore. _When did she move?_ When they turn back around, they see Orchid standing right in front of them with a calm goose in her arms. She smiles at the two boys who look confused and horrified. _How did that go unnoticed? _But now they're disappointed they missed it.

"So, where do you want this?" Orchid asks, rocking the bird in her arms.

* * *

** As a Canadian whose university is collectively scared of geese, I was entertained by this chapter. **

**I'm not joking, geese ****_live_**** at my university. They cause traffic jams and all that ****_good stuff_****. The campus store has shirts that say something like, 'stay away from the geese.' There was one year where our equivalent of the Academy courtyard was blocked off because there were signs that said, 'beware of angry geese' and nobody wanted to deal with that. There's even a news article of a student being attacked by a goose. When a goose flew into a building, they called campus security to deal with it.**


	53. Year Two: Send a Goose

**This chapter is a chaotic mess, especially towards the middle. **

* * *

Year Two: Send a Goose

_[12:25 PM]_

_Group Chat - SA Babes  
__Members: Daniel, Merida, James, Angela, Xavier_

_Xavier: I don't give a crap where you guys are or what you're doing. Get to my dorm NOW!_

-o-

_Edison Residence - 12:28 PM_

James reads the text and shoots back a quick response saying he'll be there when he finishes one important thing. He said he'll wait for Daniel to get back so they'll go together but that's a lie. That one thing he had to do? For some reason, James decided that today will be the day he finds the code of conduct book for his dorm. Or, _former code_, he should say. He just wants the new version with The Emily Stark Protocol in it. Daniel couldn't care less about it since he finds it ridiculous.

He's looked in the back of his dresser and Daniel's, and behind their beds with no luck. He looks in the back of his closet and finds a box of crackers instead. _Whose are these? He doesn't remember putting those there._ One of the corners is dented and it expires in two years.

It's fine. He'll bring it. He can look for the rulebook later.

-o-

_Hudson Residence - 12:32 PM_

Ashton skipped all the syllabus days. He didn't have to be reminded of how the school year worked because he'll figure it out as the days go on or Xavier will tell him. Besides, the dorms would be easier to move into when there weren't hundreds of other people rolling their bags in and walking around the parking lot.

Now, he's searching his pockets for his dorm keys. Once he finds them, he opens the door. He expects to see Xavier already marked his territory or maybe he's currently in the room. But, when Ashton walks in, he makes direct eye contact with a goose. _He didn't think a goose would be marking its territory but look at that._

He's not sure about anything. He could ask all the possible questions but all he won't get anything from that goose's blank and dead stare.

Cautiously, Ashton puts his bags down at the door. His eyes never leave the goose, who follows his every movement with that long neck. Once Ashton's stuff is on the ground, he zips out the door, closing it behind him. _At least the bird was on Xavier's bed_. Ashton leans against the door and sees Xavier running up to their room.

"Don't worry, I'm handling it," Xavier says as the goose squawks from inside.

"Good, because I won't," Ashton says before leaving. He left Xavier alone for a few days and the man has a goose.

-o-

Moments later, Angela, Xavier, Merida, Daniel, and James are in the dorm with the goose. Everyone except James is staring at the bird because James sits next to it on the bed, feeding it the crackers he found in his closet. Nobody, not even Xavier, thought they would ever be in this situation. After everything they've been through in their eighteen years of existence, this goose takes the cake.

"Orchid got it," Xavier explains. "I don't know how since I missed it. She did it in literally a blink of an eye. Anyways, I don't know what to do with it but, James, you're getting crumbs on my bed."

James gives Xavier a _really_ face as he looks away from the goose. "There's a fucking goose on your bed and the _crumbs_ are your problem?"

The goose squawks, probably to call them idiots, before it goes back to the crackers. They don't speak goose, but that's what any outside eyes would call them in this situation. _Or any situation._

"God help us if there's a dorm inspection right now…" Angela mutters. "There's no explanation for this. Where's some wood to knock on?"

Merida knocks on Xavier's head.

"I regret everything," Xavier says. "This is ridiculous."

James, who was ignoring everything else going on, pets the bird who continues to eat beside him. "Who's a good goosie?"

Daniel takes a photo of that moment not only to keep and cherish forever but to send to Emily. _She'll love it and then ask what's happening._ "This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen and we've seen some shit."

Xavier nods, pointing at Daniel. "Speaking of shit, James, stop feeding it."

"What?"

The goose squawks again. This time aimed at Xavier. Xavier gives the bird a dirty look but takes a step back anyways. _He isn't taking any chances with something that flies and has a savage reputation_.

"Can we keep it?" James asks excitedly.

"No!" They all yell back. The goose squawks again.

"How is your RA not hearing this?" Daniel asks. Xavier shrugs since he's had bigger issues on his mind.

"How is _anyone_ not hearing this?" Angela questions.

Merida scoffs. "It's Jersey."

"Can we take the goose back outside?"

Xavier steps forwards, facing his friends. His back is turned to James and the goose. "We're already reaching a breaking point. Let's just try and send that goose to Asgard."

Angela doesn't bother to point out how stupid that sentence sounded, especially since Xavier didn't register it as ridiculous. She sighs tiredly. "Whatever. What should we say?"

"How about a dear message about Britney growing up in quicksand and Apollo getting in it as well," Merida suggests. Everyone, including the goose, looks at her alarmed that she said that. "Ask if maybe they both sunk and that's why they didn't come back."

Xavier storms up to her and Merida keeps a straight face. "Don't say that. That's insane."

"You have a goose in your room!" Merida yells back at him. "That's fucking insane!"

The goose squawks at her.

Merida turns around towards the goose. "Shut up!"

The goose hisses and Merida backs off. _She shouldn't have yelled at it._

"Now you provoked it," James tells her.

"You shut up too," Merida responds.

James hisses at her.

"Now, we're all insane," Angela mutters.

"We're sinking in Britney's quicksand," Merida whispers, opening her arms to show that her point is proven. "_At least we'll all be together."_

"Shut up," Xavier tells her.

Merida hisses at him and he hisses back.

"Okay!" Daniel exclaims, getting everyone's attention by walking towards James and the goose. "I'm getting the goose out of here."

Daniel grabs the box of crackers and uses it to lure the goose out. The bird jumps off of Xavier's bed and follows Daniel. Angela opens the door for him and they watch as Daniel leads the bird out. Nobody's concerned about the neighbouring dorms because it's not their business and _who cares_. _It's not that surprising._ Besides, they could easily lie that the goose just flew in here. Then again, they're only being paranoid.

Angela closes the door and leans against it. She rests there, looking at everyone else in the room.

Nobody has anything to say. They didn't even have a message for Asgard.

-o-

Daniel made it outside without any interference. He was even in the elevator with people who didn't spare him or the goose a second look. _Thank you, cellphones. _Daniel was more relieved that the goose followed him outside. He was scared the bird would've flown through the halls of Hudson the moment Angela opened the door. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. _He even had to hold the door open to let the goose walk out first. Not his proudest moment. _Even when they're standing outside, the goose remains by his side, looking up at him blankly since there are no more crackers. _James already imprinted himself on it. _

Daniel sighs. _He can't believe he's about to do this._ He looks at the goose who's already looking at him. " … if you actually do get to Asgard and find Apollo and Britney, can you say something to them?"

The goose squawks before flying away. Daniel could've waited a few seconds before looking like an idiot who talks to geese. But maybe the goose understood him and is now on its way to Asgard? He could only hope.

"Good enough," Daniel mutters.

Before he heads back inside, he catches Keith walking by. Keith is currently giving Daniel a strange face. Daniel isn't sure what it means, but he knows that Keith saw everything with the goose. He smiles, hoping Keith would just walk by and maybe nod on the way over, but no.

Daniel clears his throat. _Time to come up with a bullshit excuse._ "It's for a - a - ah, fuck it. I don't even know. But if you ever need a goose, contact Orchid Vermillion, Operations, Weight Class B."

Keith isn't sure how to respond. " … thanks?"

-o-

Later in the evening, Ashton finally decides to return to his dorm. He hesitates before opening the door but, instead of seeing a goose, he sees Xavier. Their entire room reeks heavily of bleach and he can tell that's because Xavier skipped all his classes for the remainder of the day to disinfect the room. Everything in sight that can be washed has been washed twice. It got completed quickly since there was no lineup in the laundry. _The school year just started, who already has a pile of dirty clothes? _

By tomorrow, Xavier wants to forget this day ever happened.

"So, how was your summer?" Xavier asks as Ashton closes the door behind him.

Ashton gives Xavier a face. "You had a goose in our room and you're asking _me_ how _my_ summer was?"

"Yes."

"It was great."

"You're not going to ask about the goose?"

"Nope."

Xavier's taken aback. " … really?"

"Orchid and Brody explained it."

"Good." Xavier nods although he has no idea what they said. "Because I didn't want to talk about it."

"But where are Apollo and Britney?"

Xavier pauses as his breath sharpens. _How does he explain Asgard without explaining Asgard?_ Instead, Xavier vaguely points up and Ashton gasps a little, understanding with a nod. Xavier lowers his hand. As long as Ashton got some sort of idea, it works for him. Maybe Xavier will explain Asgard one day but he isn't sure if it's his story to tell. He feels more like a character in it than the narrator.

"Canada's great," Ashton states. "The goose makes so much sense now."

* * *

**So I never expected to do weekly updates or for this long but now we've run into a timing dilemma on my part. (I don't regret the weekly updates. People have told me it helped them throughout quarantine and I'm so grateful because they've helped me too). The next chapter I had planned is for the story's first anniversary. I was about to switch some chapters around but didn't want to disrupt any flow I might have created.**

**With that said, I will be back on October 21st for the story's first anniversary!**


	54. Year Two: Call the Nurse!

***clears throat* I planned this chapter last year. Now, it's March 2020 as I'm typing it to be published on October 21st. Presently, as in when I'm typing this author's note, this chapter may be considered as insensitive for topical reasons. I even cut something out that might've taken it too far. I don't mean for anything to be offensive. We're just here to have a good time.**

**In other news, Happy Birthday to this story! It's been an amazing year for it. I have about 54 banked chapters as I'm publishing this one and I can tell you that this will be wild.**

* * *

Year Two: Call The Nurse!

_Two Years Ago - Banner House _

A text message was sent out in the _Stark's Angels _group chat. Daniel was sick. The girls acted upon it. They brought what was needed for dealing with a sick person, especially since Daniel was lying on the couch unable to take care of himself.

Except for Britney who argued that her nurse costume was the perfect remedy.

Britney laughs loudly as the magic disappears from her fingertips. Angela, Emily, and Merida look down at themselves and they're all wearing the same skimpy nurse costume like her. Surely, they don't pull it off like her. _They weren't blessed with the holy trinity of big breasts, curves, and long and slender legs._ But Britney's Asgardian so she doesn't count.

"Quarantine has _nothing_ over this quartet!" Britney exclaims excitedly.

Angela, Merida, and Emily look over at her with narrowed eyes. Daniel pulls the blanket over his head. This is a fever dream come true yet completely insane.

-o-

_Present Day - Atlantic Residence - 10:51 AM_

People have been coughing, sneezing, and sniffling left and right. Everywhere Merida would turn, someone and their roommate were taking medicine in shot glasses. Well, everywhere but her dorm (which now has a quarantine sign on the door, written on a whiteboard in capital letters. It wasn't because there was a disease in there. She wanted that safe space to remain virus-free). It's times like this where Merida's grateful that Angela Samantha _super-soldier-spawn _Rogers is her roommate. Where she goes, diseases head the other way. There was no use attempting to infect that body with their antibodies.

_Might as well get the weak ones, right? _Like that one person she saw who ran out of tissues so they had a roll of toilet paper in the empty box. That was just sad. Why couldn't they just carry the roll on its own? Why have the empty box?

Merida's stayed safe by wearing a plague doctor mask. _Was it insensitive?_ A little. _But did sick people avoid her like the plague because she looked freaky? _Definitely. She even filled it with some lavender oil she got from Brody. Apparently, according to him, it works wonders. And she has to believe him since she isn't sick.

"You look stupid," Angela says.

Merida looks over at her friend. The beak of the mask points at her face. "Not all of us have impenetrable immune systems."

"You will offend people."

"I don't give a shit. They'll get me sick."

"Where did you even get that mask?"

"When in Jersey."

Angela isn't surprised.

-o-

_Academy's Commando's Lounge - 12:38 PM_

Xavier, Ashton, and Orchid walk through the lounge where lots of their peers are coughing into their arms or tissues, or even the blankets they're wrapped in. Some are even wearing their pyjamas. A lot of them are working on assignments because they have no choice. Deadlines were deadlines, regardless if you were going to be dead. Any other institution would be kinder if they were sick, but SHIELD Academy wasn't. As future agents, missions won't delay themselves because they had a small cough. This was their preparation, according to the guidelines.

"At least our class was cancelled," Orchid states optimistically. Their professor, along with a few others, got sick and couldn't teach or run drills. No students complained, healthy or not.

"But look at this," Xavier says, gesturing to everyone around them.

It's like a zombie apocalypse and they're the only survivors.

"Thank god my roommate isn't sick," Ashton says gratefully, looking upwards to thank whoever's up there.

Xavier nods. "Thank god for the same thing."

"I wasn't blessed with a perfect immune system. I'm lucky."

"No, I meant I'm glad you're not sick. I wouldn't be able to sleep with all your hacking and sniffling."

Ashton scoffs. "Wow, _Rogers_, okay. I see you."

Xavier laughs. It'll just be everyone else on their floor keeping them awake.

Orchid coos at them. "Your bromance is a remedy all on its own."

"What about your roommate?" Xavier asks her.

Orchid holds back a laugh but the boys know she wants to let it out. "She got so scared that she went home. I think she's from Maryland and I'm not complaining about her absence. This girl gets Brody over more often."

Orchid winks at them as she walks out of the lounge ahead of them. Ashton and Xavier glance at each other, both wearing smiles. _Damn, girl. _And good on Brody for not getting sick as well.

-o-

_Cafeteria - 20:21 PM_

Daniel never thought he would be in this situation. James never thought he would get to witness it.

Not everyone on campus caught the bug. Aside from the two boys, Brody remained in top condition. He didn't realize there was a bug going around until he noticed everyone with a tissue box. He thought it was a cultural thing when it's more seasonal. He must've missed it last year as well.

But he had something special on his side. A beautiful set of essential oils.

James was amazed by their powers, especially since it got Daniel and Brody in a heated debate. There were the pro-arguments that involved antibacterial and antiviral properties versus Daniel's cons were that they were oils, nothing more and nothing less. _Oils_.

But Daniel had to give Brody credit, some of his points were valid. He really couldn't argue them.

"They won't cure you," Daniel reaffirms. "They'll _relieve_ you at best."

"Same thing," Brody says, shrugging it off.

Daniel stares at him. " … no."

"But they have to be working. I'm not sick."

"You eat healthy, exercise, and have a healthy schedule."

James nods. "And use kumquat oils."

He has no idea what a kumquat is. _Maybe they're the miracle fruit. _

"Dude!" Daniel exclaims. So much for his arguments._ Also, did he just say dude? _He's been in this conversation for too long.

"Dude!" Brody exclaims excitedly. Someone was on his side.

He grabs James in the biggest bro hug ever, shaking him around like a rag doll. James's head bounces around, feeling like it will snap off and roll away. No kumquat oil will save him from this.

"Did not see this coming," James says. His voice is strained. "You're crushing me."

* * *

**Halfway through writing that chapter, I realized that this was a flu season chapter and none of my main characters had the flu. Oh well. Stay safe, everyone.**

**I reread the counterpart chapter for inspiration and I cried laughing. I miss Emily Stark.**

**Until further notice, we will be having bi-weekly updates for this story (Wednesdays and Sundays).**

**_Emily's Counterpart -_**** Chapter 250: Did Someone Call a Nurse?**


	55. Year Two: A Multifaceted Experience

**Working on this while helping my friend move out of residence. It's not that I'm being a bad friend and not helping with the lifting. She just wanted me to stay outside with her stuff. The funny thing is that she felt bad for making me sit out here and just wait, but it gives me time to write so I'm cool with it.**

* * *

Year Two: A Multifaceted Experience

_Operations' Training Room A - 12:44 PM_

It's been endless laps and weights for weight class A … and that was only the warm-up. Lucky for these cadets, their bodies are so used to the physical exertion that some are only breaking a small sweat. For others, they had to retrain their bodies again from summer break. Everyone is at a different weight, even in weight class A, but they're all challenged.

"Where's all the cool stuff?" Brody asks sarcastically. "They don't do this in movies."

"Check out the deleted scenes," their prof, not catching the tone, responds with an eerie seriousness.

"I hope I stop hurting by tomorrow," someone else whines.

The pace is comfortable. Nobody wants to burn out before the day's first physical evaluation. They will be timed for how many of certain reps they can complete in a minute.

But that's for the second half of the class.

"Now, look up," their professor instructs.

The class looks upwards and sees a small white flag hanging from the centre of the ceiling. They were familiar with the possibility of this. Every second year Operations class has a task to complete. The year before had to climb a rope without supports. The year before that to perfectly hit a moving target blindfolded. _This?_ This was a game of capture the flag without needing to search for it.

"Your task is to get that flag," their prof instructs, "but you're not allowed to use any equipment or the observation deck, as if that were possible."

The class continues looking up at the dangling flag. The ceilings were way too far up for them to jump and there's no grating around that they could use to climb. It makes them wonder how the flag got up there. _They probably used a ladder. _Bad examples.

"Angela, why don't you use your cheerleading moves?" Brody teases.

The class echoes like a chorus, waiting to see Angela's reaction. She looks unamused at the poke at four years of her life but isn't mad.

"You mean throw you like a pom-pom," Angela suggests.

The class gets more riled, making Angela grin. _Who knew the sweet girl had it in her? _The attitude, not the action. _They know she can throw him back to Australia. _Brody laughs back, seeing her angle as he walks right up to her.

"Alright, Rogers, let's do it," Brody says. Angela isn't sure if Brody is testing her bluff or really wants to be thrown up there to get the flag.

The cheers get louder as the professor steps between them with a disapproving look on their face.

"There will be no manhandling in this class," their professor says.

"But you said we could get the flag any way," Brody argues.

The professor gives an annoyed face.

Brody clears his throat. "Yes, sir."

As the professor turns around to start the next drill, Angela pumps a fist in the air, mimicking the start of one her routines, even mouthing _ready, okay!_ Brody laughs at her.

-o-

_Operations' Training Room B - 13:08 PM_

The entire class jumps when their professor pulls a gun at them. Some step back, whimper and scream a little. _What the hell, right? _Contrary to that, Merida gives their professor a strange face and James blinks. _That's happened in his dreams many times with different people on the other side._

Their professor smiles maniacally, putting the gun away. _Who gave that masochist a gun?_ "Any suggestions?"

James puts up his hand. "Switch programs."

Merida cracks a smile.

-o-

_Embassy of Egypt in Sudan - 18:45 PM_

They had a conference to attend with a lot of other delegates from other surrounding countries. Ever since Iqadi and Imanu got married, after they had time to adjust to their new lives and each other, they were handed more royal responsibilities. One of their new roles was to attend formal events on behalf of their parents.

Iqadi's been to a lot of them growing up so she's used to the environment to an extent. She understands the atmosphere and mannerisms, but she's used to being in her parents' shadows. Now, she's the one answering questions.

Imanu hasn't attended one on his own since he isn't prepared (nor would he ever want to). He was always scared of saying the wrong thing or being judged by people whose names he didn't want to get wrong. Luckily for him, Iqadi did most of the talking. All he did was stay by her side, agree with her words, and, sometimes, add a few points to support her.

And people didn't mind. They loved seeing the sharply dressed young couple in a room with people who have decades of life and experience on them. They're mutually adoring of one another, mirroring beaming smiles with loving intimate touch rituals. Sometimes, Imanu would lead her one way by gently touching the small of her back. There would be moments where Iqadi would turn around and make sure Imanu was behind her, eyes dazzling when she would see him although she knows he's there because he would never leave her.

It's the honeymoon-style affection that makes the day better for everyone; makes them more approachable and warm.

After the introductions and welcoming chats, they were escorted to the main banquet room to listen to speeches and policy changes. Iqadi and Imanu are seated in the front row, both looking at the man behind the microphone as he delivers his message.

Iqadi's legs are crossed at the ankle as Imanu sits with one arm stretched over onto her lap, holding her hand. Iqadi holds it with both of hers.

In between speeches, they look at each other. Their faces are so close that nobody could make out their words when they would whisper, but their smiles were visible.

"I can't be the only one bored," Iqadi says to him.

"I'm not," Imanu responds.

Iqadi is taken aback for a second, moving her head back a little. "Really?"

"I've entertained myself by thinking about going home."

Iqadi looks at him, laughing a little as he kisses her cheek.

-o-

_Academy Courtyard - 14:53 PM_

Ashton and Angela could believe what they were watching, for once. It's something normal and, although they've had the same reactions every time they saw it, it always baffled their minds that it happened. Right before their eyes was Xavier talking to one of their Operations classmates. She was a cute girl and wanted it to be known to Xavier that she was cute. Her smile was extra bright and she fiddled with her hair, trying to mask they were planned gestures.

Ashton and Angela know this routine because they understand these social cues. A girl wants Xavier's attention so she acts extra. Xavier can register that the girl is cute but he won't understand why she's being cute to his face. He has this Britney block in his brain that renders him from processing this new romance-related information although he's been through it on multiple occasions in the Academy (even in high school when he and Britney were together. His body still doesn't understand what it's like to be without her).

It's regularly scheduled programming with the same ending.

Ashton facepalms as Xavier walks over to them after chatting with the cute girl. _If he was talking to her, he would've scored. Maybe he could run over after._ Angela sighs, shaking her head disgracefully. _She was no Britney, but that's okay. Nobody's Britney._

"He was never in the flirting game," Angela finds the need to remind Ashton every time. _He needed it._

Xavier heard that which was Angela's intention. "Maybe it's good that my heart's broken. At least I know that I can handle it."

Ashton shakes his head. "Dude, you fucking can't."

Xavier glares at him before straightening his back. "Actually, I did my research this time. Studies show that people with only one love in the past are more content."

"I've read that study and that applies to actually _being_ in a second relationship." Ashton scoffs disappointedly. "Geez, you can't even have a proper confirmation bias."

"Yeah, well, love is a multifaceted experience."

"Wow." Angela states. "_Multifaceted. _Did the study teach you that word too?"

Xavier glares at his twin's fake plastered smile used to smite him. "Shut up, both of you."

* * *

**Iqadi and Imanu's moment was inspired by Meghan and Harry because I'm in love with them.**


	56. Year Two: In Case of Emergency

**This chapter focuses on the goose incident three chapters back. A coincidence is that in the story, it happened a month ago which was also when that chapter was published.**

* * *

Year Two: In Case of Emergency

_Two Years Ago - Barton Household - 15:05 PM_

Merida drags her last bag to the door, stopping to take a seat on it. She rests for a few seconds, putting her feet on top of another bag as she looks at her packed belongings. _Will she really need all this stuff in The Academy?_ Likely not, but it's good to be prepared since she'll have no money nor interest in roaming around New Jersey. She's been there enough before and will now live there for the next four years.

As she gets up to continue getting her bags, she hears a knock on the door. Merida walks over and opens it, surprised to see him at the door but she smiles.

"I see you're getting ready," he says, stepping inside and over her bags.

"Mom made me," Merida responds, closing the door. "So, what's up?"

"I wanted to give you this before you go." He hands her a slip of paper.

Merida takes it, opening to look at it. "I already have your phone number."

"That is your _break glass in case of emergency_ card. Now, you might have to use it. I won't be there but you will."

Merida's breath hitches, having not seen that coming. She didn't think moving out and going to the Academy would hand her this much responsibility already, and she hasn't officially left yet. _Could she even handle it? _There's a difference between having this number given to her in physical form and having this face-to-face conversation compared to a text or her going at it on free will. This gesture is him putting his trust, _his kids_, in her hands.

Merida nods, folding up the sheet before looking up at him. "Of course, dear godfather."

-o-

_Present Day - Hudson Residence - 15:37 PM_

Merida knocks on his dorm room's door, hoping that Xavier's there. She waits, wondering if she should leave before being seen standing here for too long. _This is awkward. _Merida knows his schedule so he isn't in class. She didn't see him in the gym or the cafeteria so, knowing him, he has to be in his dorm room.

"Fuck this…" Merida says.

She's about to leave but the door opens and Xavier pokes his head out. Merida sighs relieved. _If it was Ashton, she would've screamed. _

"What are you doing here?" Xavier asks.

Merida freezes for a moment before walking inside his room. Xavier closes the door behind her. _What was she doing here? _She could've called him and avoided searching for him across campus, but she couldn't. Ever since there was a goose in this room, she couldn't help but this that they all miss Apollo and Britney but it hit Xavier harder than the rest of them. Xavier misses Apollo but he _really_ misses Britney.

This conversation had to be done in person.

"Okay…" Merida mutters, rubbing her hands together with her sleeves bunched in her palms. "I came to apologize for what I said during the whole goose thing."

Xavier puts his hands in his back pocket, looking down for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "That was over a month ago."

_Way to make her look bad_. "Yeah, well, I've been thinking about it for a month."

"I forgot you said that."

"You know what, Xavier? Let me do this."

Xavier smiles, getting a laugh out of watching Merida attempt an apology. He sighs, opening his arms to give her the floor as he takes a seat on the edge of his desk. He looks at her with a smile, waiting for her to say something that isn't like _sinking in quicksand_, but she just stands there. She resembles a child waiting for their parents to finish up at the grocery store.

And Merida just stands there. _She should've made this a phone call. _

Merida brings a sleeved hand to her face. "Hey, why do people call it falling in love?"

Xavier hesitates, looking at her as if she's serious and she is. _Weird_. "Because falling hurts?"

Merida points at him. "Or because you're supposed to get back up again." She rolls up her sleeves. "I'm not saying move on because I would never do that to you or Britney. I always believed that people who get into relationships after a breakup are some of the weakest people because they can't handle life alone and need someone in order to function."

"What's your point?"

"I don't know. What's yours?"

Xavier shrugs. "I still love her, okay?"

"I know."

Xavier rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand and it strikes Merida how sad this is: seeing Xavier cry the day they left made her cry as well. _And she never cries but that image of Xavier losing it will forever be burned in her mind. _Then it was a domino effect for everyone else.

Merida attempts a smile. "You could've pulled a Stark-Banner and proposed to Britney."

Xavier copies her smile, thinking about that for a moment. "If only I could've…"

"They'll both come back, Xavier. We're not done growing up yet. That's something we've always done together."

Xavier nods. "It is, isn't it?"

"Yeah…"

For a moment, it's silent, but then Xavier stands up again.

"You still haven't apologized," Xavier says.

Merida glares at him, making him laugh. "Fuck you."

-o-

Merida walks out of Xavier's dorm. She thinks she did well with her version of an apology but there's no denying that he's hurt for reasons beyond her, beyond almost anyone, really. _At least she tried_. That's probably the most she's ever done.

Merida approaches the elevator and the doors open without her calling it. _Perfect timing._ She looks ahead and sees Ashton stepping out. _Perfect timing again and she won't scream_. Instead, she grabs his forearm and drags him out, stopping at the corner of their floor's common area. Nobody else is around and he doesn't look the least bit fazed by this.

"Xavier's in bad shape," Merida tells him. "You've probably noticed but I might have made it worse by attempting to apologize. Anyways, take this."

Merida pulls out her wallet from her jacket pocket. She opens it and pulls out a folded sheet of paper from one of the pockets. Merida hands it to Ashton and he opens it to see a phone number. He could guess that she wants him to call it.

"Who is this?" Ashton says, taking his phone out.

"Call it," Merida says urgently. "Say that Xavier needs a call."

Ashton is hesitant. He got a strange number and is ordered to call it. In what world is this normal? _His, apparently._

"Why don't you do it yourself?" Ashton asks her.

"It's one of my godfather cards," Merida responds. "I'd call it myself but then I'd have to own up to something."

"That was a month ago."

"Yes, but don't tell Xavier this. Britney's demon has been poking me with a stick for a month."

"Yikes…" Ashton mutters before starting to dial the number.

Merida smiles, leaning against the wall. "I'll be here while you talk."

-o-

Later, Xavier looks up from a textbook on aviation flight patterns he's supposed to be reading. He made it through the whole chapter but when he reached the _now test yourself _section, he realized he had no idea what he read. His mind has been reading the words, but he really processed Merida's. It wasn't the quicksand words because that whole day was too chaotic for him to remember. _The goose haunts him but that's not important. _

He can't deny that missing Apollo and Britney, mostly Britney (_sorry Apollo_), made him a bit off his game. He can try to move on but he doesn't want to. It's not like he wants to mope around all day but he doesn't want to go date. At least, not until he sees her again. Now that she and, this time including Apollo, didn't come back after a year like they said, he can't help but wonder why. They're all wondering but he believes it haunts him the most.

Maybe something happened on Asgard. Maybe they're in the middle of their mission and couldn't stop? Maybe they lost track of time. _Maybe Asgard's more fascinating than Midgard._ Even he can say it is and he's never been there. So could he blame them for staying?

His phone rings, distracting him even more. Xavier picks it up and sees that it's his dad.

"Hey," Xavier says. "How -?"

_Steve: I know it's going to be hard for you._

Xavier pauses. He didn't expect this call to go there. His parents are straightforward about different things. His mother was more about how life works and his father about emotions and feelings. It's how they worked as parents.

"I'm guessing Merida called you," Xavier says.

_Steve: She made your roommate call me but that's besides the point. _

"Then what's the point?"

_Steve: I'm not saying that you should move on from Britney but you should at least put her on the back burner._

Xavier takes a second before responding because he knows that if he talks, a hint of a choking cry will come out. His dad would hear it, but he knows that his dad will sense it by Xavier's silence.

"You're not going to tell me that I can do better," Xavier suggests. He thinks back to the time when his parents were iffy on Britney when she was revealed to be Loki's daughter. They never minded her, but he can't help himself. Now his father is the silent one.

_Steve: You had the most powerful sorceress in all the realms with the biggest, bravest, and scariest heart I've ever seen on someone so young. Take that as you will. _

Xavier smiles to himself. "I will."


End file.
